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THE  FINE  ART 
OF  FISHING 

by  SAMUEL G.CAMP 


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THE  FINE  ART  OF  FISHING 


THE   FINE  ART 
OF     FISHING 

BY 

SAMUEL  G.  CAMP 

Author  of 

* 'Fishing  Kits  &  Equipment" 


"The  angler  considers  his  sport  as  a  fine  art,  of  which  merely 
to  obtain  fish  is  but  a  smallpart.  ...  It  is  the  way  the  thing 
is  done, ' ' 

H,  7>.  Wells  in  ''Fly. Rods  6*  Fly-  TackU." 


HANDBOOKS 


NEW  YORK 

OUTING     PUBLISHING     COMPANY 

MCMXV 


Copyright,  1911,  by 

OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 

All  rights  reserved 


en 
/9// 


f     t^ 


FOREWORD 

The  present  volume  is  intended  to  supplement  with 
notes  on  our  common  game  fish  and  the  practical  use 
of  the  fly-  and  bait-casting  rod  in  casting  and  in  fishing 
the  description  of  fly-  and  bait-casting  tackle  contained 
in  the  writer's  previous  book,  "Fishing  Kits  and  Equip- 
ment"; in  other  words,  to  discuss  the  methods  of  fly- 
fishing and  bait-casting  and  other  angling  ways  and 
means,  as  distinguished  from  the  exclusive  question  of 
tackle.  Every  angler  knows  that  good  tackle  is  half 
the  battle — and  only  half. 

Secondarily,  it  is  hoped  that  the  reproductions  of  the 
photographs  may,  at  least,  suggest  the  part  which,  with 
little  difficulty  and  at  no  very  great  expense,  the  camera 
may  be  made  to  play  in  the  angler's  days  on  stream  and 
lake. 

The  greater  part  of  the  following  text  and  photo- 
graphs have  appeared  in  Outing^  Recreation,  and  Coun- 
try Life  in  America,  The  author's  thanks  are  hereby 
tendered  the  publishers  of  those  periodicals  for  permis- 
sion to  use  the  material  in  the  present  form. 

SAMUEL  G.  CAMP. 
Canaan^  Connecticut. 


ivi846S58 


CONTENTS 

Page 

The  Brook  Trout  and  the  Fly-caster....  i 

The  Lure  of  the  Trout  Pools i 

The  Brook  Trout   3 

Fly-tackle    7 

Stream  Fly-fishing  in  General 14 

Some  Brook  Trout  Eccentricities 20 

Fly-fishing  for  Brown  and  Rainbow  Trout  24 

The  Brown  Trout 24 

The  Rainbow  Trout 34 

Fly-fishing    the    Mountain    Brook,    the 

Pools,  and  Still- waters 38 

Small  Stream  Fishing 39 

Fishing  the  Pools  and  Still- waters 46 

Dry-fly  Fishing 52 

Fly-casting  and  Fly-fishing 56 

How  to  Improve  your  Fly-casting 57 

How  to  Fish  the  Flies 65 

The    Bait-caster    and    the     Sweet- water 

Basses    73 

The  Natural  History  of  the  Black  Bass 74 

Bait-casting  Tackle    79 

Casting  from  the  Reel 83 

Some  Practical  Suggestions 85 

When  the  Bloom  is  off  the  Water 87 

Vll 


Viii  CONTENTS  (Continued) 

Page 

The    Namaycush,    the    Mascalonge,    and 

Others    95 

Deep-trolling  for  the  Great  Lakes  Trout. .  96 

The  Mascalonge,  Pike,  and  Pickerel 106 

The  Ouananiche  and  Land-locked  Salmon..  112 

Fine  and  Far-off  Fishing  and  Other  Mat- 
ters    119 

Fishing  Fine  and  Far  Off 119 

Casting  for  Accuracy,  Delicacy,  and  Distance  126 

How  to  Improve  the  Fly-rod 130 

Strip-casting  for  Black  Bass 136 

Prospecting  with  a  Casting  Rod 145 

On  the  Trail  of  the  Black  Bass 1 45 

Fishing  New  Waters 147 

Casts  at  Random  with  Unexpected  Rises.  .  155 

The  Wideawake  Angler 155 

Game   Fish  in  Winter 159 

In  a  Fishing  Camp 165 

Canoe  vs.  Waders 167 

Landing  Net  and  Gaff 169 

The  Trolling  and  Casting  Spoon 172 

The  Way  of  a  Trout  with  a  Flv 174 


THE  BROOK  TROUT  AND 
THE  FLY-CASTER 

CHAPTER  I 

THE  BROOK  TROUT  AND  THE 
FLY-CASTER 

FLY-FISHING   for   the  speckled   brook  trout 
has  a  hold  upon  its  votaries  such  as  no  other 
outdoor  sport  can  boast.     The  interest  of  your 
simon-pure  fly-fisherman  in  his  pastime  is  more  than  a 
mere  matter  of  the  open  season,  it  is  lasting  and  ever 
present.     He  is  a  crank  on  the  subject 
£    u^^     ^"^  proud  of  the  title.     If  you  disagree 
T       t  P     Iq  ^^^^  ^^"^  ^^  ^^  ^^^  status  of  the  sport  he 
will  decline  to  argue  the  question  with 
you — ignorance  so  colossal  as  yours  is  not  to  be  met 
with  arguments.     He  is  simply  sorry  for  you.     And 
yet,  no  matter  what  may  be  your  opinion  of  fly-casting 
as  a  sport,  you  cannot  but  envy  him.    The  reasons  for 
this  supreme  contentment  and  enviable  absorption  are, 
however,  although  of  the  very  best,  somewhat  difficult 
of  explanation  to  the  uninitiated. 


2  THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

Of  course,  to  a  certain  extent,  one  can  describe  the 
typical  trout  stream.  It  is  not  a  large  stream;  rather, 
a  big  brook  or  little  river.  Its  banks  are  pleasantly 
wooded,  with  here  and  there  a  small  clearing  where 
one  time  some  logging  job  extended  to  the  water's  edge. 
Alternately  there  are  hurrying,  turbulent  rapids  or 
shallow,  clear,  swift-running  riffles  and  deep,  opaque 
pools  whose  surfaces  reflect  the  pines  and  hemlocks  and 
in  whose  depths  the  aldermen  of  the  river  repose  in 
dignified  inertia.  Occasionally  there  are  falls  where  the 
stream  foams  down  many  feet  in  a  graceful,  white,  out- 
bending  ribbon.  And  again  there  are  long,  still  reaches 
where  the  current  is  scarcely  perceptible  and  where,  if 
you  would  land  a  trout,  you  must  indeed  cast  "fine  and 
far  off." 

But  no  word-picture  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
trout  stream  portrays  in  the  slightest  degree  the  charac- 
teristics of  that  same  stream  from  the  fly-fisherman's 
point  of  view.  While  he  is  fully  aware  of  the  natural 
beauties  of  the  stream,  the  angler  is  apt  to  regard  it  more 
or  less  technically.  And  in  this  technicality  of  view- 
point, difficult  in  Itself  to  define,  lies  the  still  greater 
difficulty  of  explaining  the  true  relation  of  the  stream 
to  the  stream  fisherman. 

One  can  also  describe  the  fly-caster's  tackle;  the 
graceful,  resilient  split-bamboo;  the  delicate  yet,  when 
well  selected,  steel-strong  lines  and  leaders;  and  the 
various  flies,  each  having  its  special  connotation  for  the 
experienced  fly-caster.  But  these  comprise  merely  the 
mechanical  part  of  the  game.  The  operation  of  cast- 
ing the  fly  may  also  be  explained,  but  this,  too,  is  purely 


BROOK   TROUT   AND    FLY-CASTER      3 

mechanical.  However,  in  the  skilful  handling  of  fine 
tackle  lies  a  large  part  of  the  angler's  enjoyment. 

I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  fly-fishing  has  its  chief 
and  most  easily  defined  excuse  in  the  existence  of  a  cer- 
tain game  fish — Salvelinus  fontinalis,  the 
Ine  ijrooK    gpe^kled  brook  trout.     Here,  indeed,  is 

Trout.  something  tangible,  a  thing  w^hich  may 
be  taken  in  the  hand — first  catch  your  trout — and  looked 
upon.  No  one  seeing  a  freshly  caught  brook  trout 
would  say  that  it  was  other  than  a  thing  of  beauty.  Its 
delicate,  vari-colored  resplendency  is  not  equaled  by  any 
living  thing.  The  tarpon — Silver  King  of  Southern 
waters — the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  salmons,  the  ouana- 
niche  and  land-locked  salmon,  and  the  grayling  com- 
prise practically  all  the  other  game  fishes,  excepting 
the  various  other  forms  of  brook  trout,  which  may  be 
said  to  possess  both  beauty  of  form  and  coloration. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  these  fish  are  justifiably 
praised,  but  it  is  generally  conceded  that  the  red-spotted 
brook  trout  has  nothing  to  fear  from  their  competition. 
Of  the  Western  trout,  the  rainbows,  cutthroats,  and 
steelheads,  the  rainbow,  Salmo  irideus,  is  the  Eastern 
brook  trout's  nearest  competitor — and  that  is  praise 
enough  for  the  rainbow.  So  here  is  one  good  reason,  at 
least,  why  fly-fishing  for  trout  is  considered  by  many  the 
very  best  of  all  sports. 

But,  after  all,  the  lure  of  the  trout  pools  is  a  thing 
intangible,  elusive,  which  cannot  be  crystallized  into  so 
many  words,  or  geometrically  demonstrated.  If  you 
would  solve  its  mysteries,  would  truly  fathom  the  fas- 
cination of  "the  reek  of  the  split-bamboo,"  you  must 


4  THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

hit  the  trail  to  a  good  trout  stream,  with  fly-rod  and 

camera,  and  there  your  desire  will  find  its  fulfilment — 

if  you  are  the  right  sort ;  otherwise,  otherwise. 

While   the  Eastern  brook  trout  is  undoubtedly  in 

coloration  the  most  beautiful  of  all  game  fishes,  in  for- 

,        mation,  especially  as  regards  very  large 
Coloration  r  ^  i 

r  rp       .      trout  or,  say,  three  pounds  or  over,  its 

position  is  not  so  clearly  first.  The  male 
trout  of  this  weight,  however  finely  marked  with  var- 
ious tints  of  blue,  crimson,  and  gold,  tends  dangerously 
to  aldermanic  girth  and,  with  his  usual  under-shot  and 
cruel  lower  jaw,  is  rather  a  creature  to  respect  for 
gameness  and  fighting-blood  than  to  admire  artistically. 

The  quality  of  coloration  in  the  brook  trout,  too,  is 
dependent  to  a  great  extent  upon  the  immediate  sur- 
roundings affected  by  the  fish.  That  this  is  a  matter  of 
protective  coloration  should  go  without  gainsaying.  In 
very  dark  waters,  well  shaded  and  with  muddy  or  dark- 
ly colored  bottom,  the  brook  trout  is  sympathetically 
of  subdued  coloration,  sometimes  almost  black — a  very 
dark  purple.  On  the  other  hand,  in  clear  streams  run- 
ning over  white  gravel  or  pebbly  beds,  the  trout  are 
lightly  tinted  and  often  have  a  golden  luster  or  sheen 
that  is  unequaled  for  beauty.  The  wise  men  tell  us 
that  variation  of  color  in  brook  trout  is  caused  by  the 
light  acting  through  the  nerves  of  the  eye  upon  certain 
color  glands.  It  is  also  dependent  to  a  certain  extent 
upon  the  natural  food  most  common  to  the  stream, 
trout  which  have  an  abundance  of  insect  food  being  the 
most  brilliant  in  coloration  as  well  as  the  largest. 

To  catch  trout  with  the  fly  it  is  not  at  all  necessary 


BROOK   TROUT   AND    FLY-CASTER      5 

to  know  that,  as  a  matter  of  scientific  fact,  the  brook 

trout  is  not  a  trout  but  a  charr.    Briefly, 

The  Brook  ^g  regards  the  Salmonidae,  the  books  of 

Charr  authority  recognize  the  salmon  trout  and 

the   charr   trout,    the   distinction   being 

founded  upon  the  fact  that  the  charrs  have  no  teeth 

upon  the  front  of  the  bone  in  the  roof  of  the  mouth,  the 

contrary  being  the  case  with  the  salmon  trout.    Of  the 

charrs  those  most  familiar  to  the  angler  are  the  Great 

Lakes  trout,  Cristtvomer  namaycush,  the  "Namaycush," 

and  fontinalisj  Salvelinus  meaning  '^little  charr."     In 

this  connection  it  might  be  well  to  say  that  the  trout  of 

British  angling  literature  is  not  our  common   native 

trout  but  the  brown  trout,  Salmo  fario,  now  pretty 

generally  introduced  into  this  country  and  a  true  trout, 

not  a  charr. 

The  brook  trout,  although  found  in  many  lakes,  is 
essentially  a  creature  of  running  waters  highly  aerated 
and  of  low  temperature,  sixty-five  degrees 
The  Brook    being  about  the  highest  temperature  con- 
Home        sistent  with  their  continued  existence  and 
welfare.    So,  in  a  way,  the  speckled  trout 
is  a  neighbor  of  the  ruffed  grouse,  the  white-tailed  deer, 
and  the  gray  squirrel,  living  in  forest  and  woodland 
streams,  spring  born  and  fed,  where  the  water,  running 
between  wooded   banks,   is  shaded   and   cool,   and   the 
many  waterfalls  and  rocky  riffles  afford  air  in  abun- 
dance. 

The  appeal  of  trout  fly-fishing  to  the  sportsman  is 
due  in  great  part  to  the  mere  fact  that  "going  to  the 
woods"  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  best  of  the 


6  THE   FINE  ART   OF   FISHING 

sport.  The  man  who  for  a  day,  or  many  days,  wades 
down  a  secluded  trout  stream,  not  so  intent  upon  his 
cast  of  flies  as  to  fail  in  observation  of  his  surroundings, 
or  to  miss  the  many  chance  meetings  with  the  furred 
and  feathered  forest  dwellers  so  frequently  offered  the 
angler  who  has  the  faculty  of  seeing,  is  never  dissatisfied 
with  his  "luck** ;  his  days  upon  the  stream,  be  the  creel 
light  or  heavy,  the  Red  Gods  propitious  or  otherwise, 
are  always  the  most  pleasant  of  memories,  to  be  dreamed 
again  by  the  winter  fireside  and  repeated  at  the  earliest 
opportunity. 

About  the  spawning  habits  of  trout,  it  may  be  that 
some  time  when  walking  through  the  woods  in  the  au- 
tumn, possibly  hunting  ruffed  grouse  or 
spawning     j^^^.  ^-jj   come   upon   some  little 

Habits.  \  Tf  1 

mountam  stream.     If  you  ever  do  and 

will  take  the  pains  to  look  for  them,  you  may  see  some 
very  fine  trout  in  that  inconsequential  rivulet.  In  Oc- 
tober and  November,  the  temperature  of  the  water 
having  its  influence  over  the  exact  time,  the  brook 
trout  may  be  found  at  the  headwaters  of  the  streams 
and  up  the  little  "feeder"  brooks  where  the  spawning 
takes  place.  The  female  constructs  the  nest,  brushing 
away  the  sand  and  gravel  with  nose  and  tail  so  as  to 
form  a  slight  depression  in  the  stream  bed,  and  the  eggs 
are  deposited  therein.  The  male  trout,  at  this  time  of 
exceptionally  high  and  brilliant  coloration,  is  in  constant 
attendance.  The  brook  trout,  however,  unlike  the  black 
bass,  when  the  spawning  is  completed  gives  the  nest  no 
further  attention.  Under  natural  conditions,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  fish  cultural  results,  only  a  very  small 


BROOK   TROUT   AND    FLY-CASTER      7 

percentage  of  the  eggs  are  hatched,  possibly,  at  best, 
five  per  cent.  The  time  of  incubation  is  from  sixty  to 
ninety  days. 

Under  favorable  circumstances  it  takes  about  three 

years  to  make  a  pound  trout,  but  the  extent  of  the 

waters  inhabited  and  the  abundance  or 

urowtn  j^^i^  ^£  £qqJ  therein — also  the  nature  of 
'  the  food  supply — have  great  influence  in 
determining  the  rate  of  growth  of  brook  trout.  As 
above  noted  they  thrive  best  upon  insect  food.  The 
range  of  the  brook  trout  is  quite  extensive ;  for  instance, 
they  may  be  found  in  nearly  all  of  the  United  States, 
although  they  are  not  indigenous  to  all  of  the  States 
whose  waters  they  now  inhabit.  As  to  the  numbers  in 
which  they  may  be  found  in  any  given  locality,  it  is 
well,  when  planning  a  fishing  trip,  to  remember  that 
often,  as  Henry  Guy  Carleton  has  said,  the  brook  trout 
exists  only  "in  the  clear,  cold,  running  prospectus  of  a 
hotel  charging  $4  a  day." 

Fly-tackle 

The  tackle  for  trout  fly-fishing  has  been  developed  to 
a  point  of  excellence  where  further  improvement,  save 
in  unimportant  details,  seems  Impossible.  The  rods, 
reels,  lines,  and  flies  now  specially  made  for  the  fly- 
caster  are  certainly  things  of  beauty  and,  if  carefully 
treated,  practically  permanent  joys.  The  matter  of 
tackle  selection  for  brook  trout  fly-fishing  is  a  very  sim- 
ple affair — to  the  man  who  knows.  But  the  man  who 
does  not  know  Is  quite  capable  of  going  to  considerable 


8  THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

expense  for  a  museum  of  tackle  curiosities  the  collective 
intent  of  which  would  be  difficult  to  determine. 

Herein  it  will  be  possible  to  state  only  with  the  ut- 
most brevity  compatible  with  clearness  the  essential  tools 
and  tackle  of  the  fly-caster.  For  a  more  detailed  trea- 
tise on  fly-tackle  and  general  equipment  the  reader  is 
referred  to  ''Fishing  Kits  and  Equipment"  by  the  pres- 
ent writer.  Many  years  of  stream  use  and  experiment 
have  shown  that  only  certain  tools  are  suited  to  effective 
and  satisfactory — and  sportsmanlike — fly-casting.  In 
the  following  the  suitability  of  the  outfit  to  stream  wad- 
ing and  fly-fishing  in  an  average  trout  stream  is  primar- 
ily considered. 

To  the  absolute  exclusion  of  every  other  material  the 
fly-rod  should  be  of  split-bamboo.  The  split-cane  rod 
alone  has  the  necessary  speed  and  resili- 
ly-rod.  gj^^g  which  are  imperative  for  effective 
and  comfortable  fly-casting  and  fly-fishing.  Solid  wood 
rods  of  either  lancewood,  greenheart,  or  bethabara  are 
very  much  slower  in  action  than  the  split-bamboo,  and 
the  steel  rod  Is  not  at  all  to  be  considered.  It  should 
be  said,  however,  that  in  the  cheaper  grades  the  split- 
bamboo  rod  Is  inferior  to  the  solid  wood  rod  of  equal 
price.  The  angler  should  select  a  fly-rod  of  either 
medium  or,  if  the  purse  Is  a  fairly  long  one,  the  very 
best  grade.  A  good  fly-rod  is  worth  every  cent  you  pay 
for  it — and  more ;  also  it  should  be  said  that  good  tackle 
of  any  sort  is  not  only  Its  own  reward  but  Is  absolutely 
essential  If  you  would  have  the  best  of  the  sport. 
Shoddy  tackle  conduces  to  careless  work  on  the  stream 
and  consequently  to  poor  success.    On  the  other  hand, 


BROOK   TROUT   AND    FLY-CASTER     9 

good  tackle  tends  to  interest  one  in  its  proper  handling, 
both  in  casting  and  also  in  fishing  the  flies,  and  as  a 
result  the  angler  finds  his  interest  and  success  increas- 
ing rather  than  otherwise. 

Choice  must  be  made  between  the  six-strip  and  eight- 
strip  rods,  the  split-bamboo  rod  being  made  from  tri- 
angular strips — usually  six  or  eight — rent  from  the 
natural  cane  and  cemented  and  bound  together.  Expert 
opinion  favors  the  six-strip  fly-rod. 

If  the  angler  is  to  have  but  one  rod  probably  ten  feet 
is  the  best  length,  but  any  length  from  nine  to  ten  feet 
is  generally  satisfactory.  It  depends  a  great  deal  upon 
the  character  of  the  waters  to  be  fished.  For  small 
brooks  the  shorter  rod  is  preferable,  but  for  big,  rough 
streams  where  long  casting  must  be  done  and  large 
trout  handled  in  swift  water  the  ten-foot  rod  is  best. 

Be  sure  to  have  the  ferrules  and  reel-seat  of  the  rod 
of  German  silver.  This  material  is  stronger,  cleaner, 
and  more  serviceable  than  nickeled  brass.  The  hand- 
grasp  should  be  of  the  sort  known  in  the  tackle  trade  as 
"solid  cork,"  not  a  mere  sheathing  of  composition- 
cork  over  a  wooden  form.  For  fly-casting  the  reel- 
seat  must  be  below  the  hand-grasp.  The  guides  of  the 
rod  should  by  all  means  be  of  the  pattern  known  as 
English  "snake"  guides,  and  their  material  should  be 
steel  or  German  silver,  the  former  being  most  suitable 
because  the  line  will  not  wear  grooves  in  them  as  in 
the  softer  German  silver. 

Select  a  rod  that  bends  equally  from  handgrasp  to 
tip-end,  one  that  balances  well — is  not  either  tip  or 
butt  heavy — and  is  not  too  limber  or  whippy.     The 


lo        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

whippy  rod  is  a  poor  caster  and  one  with  which  it  is 
difficult  to  hook  and  play  a  fish  properly.  Fly-rods 
from  nine  to  ten  feet  in  length  should  weigh  from  five 
to  six  and  a  quarter  ounces. 

The  only  reel  for  fly-casting  is  a  simple  single-action 
click  reel.  Because  of  its  construction  it  is  free  from 
line-fouling,  wherein  it  differs  much 
The  Single-  froni  the  multipliers  when  used  in  fly- 
action  Reel,  casting.  Multiplying  reels  have  an  out- 
standing balance-handle  which  continu- 
ally interferes  with  the  line  when  the  latter  is  used  in 
the  proper  way  for  casting  the  fly.  The  single-action 
reel  has  a  protecting-band  around  the  side  plate,  within 
which  the  handle  revolves,  thus  almost  entirely  obviat- 
ing line-fouling.  The  one-hundred  yard  reel  is  a  very 
good  size,  and  hard  rubber  and  German  silver  in  com- 
bination are  serviceable  and  satisfactory  reel  materials. 
The  larger  sizes  of  the  single-action  reels  must  be  used 
to  hold  the  necessary  amount  of  enameled  line. 

The  next  requisite  is  twenty-five  yards  of  water- 
proof enameled  silk  line.  For  the  nine-foot  rod  a  line 
of  size  F  is  right;  for  the  ten-foot  rod, 

yf  "^^S"^  size  E.  No  attempt  should  be  made  to 
Flv  ra«;jt*n  ^^^  ^"^  Other  sort  of  line.  The  enameled 
line  alone  has  the  weight  and  smoothness 
necessary  for  good  casting ;  it  will  not  foul  by  wrapping 
around  the  rod.  Good  casting  is  impossible  when  us- 
ing a  light  line  on  a  heavy  rod  or  vice  versa.  In  fly- 
casting  the  reel  should  be  used  underneath  the  rod  with 
the  handle  to  the  right. 

Quite  naturally  two  of  the  most  important  items  in  a 


BROOK   TROUT   AND    FLY-CASTER    ii 

fly-fishing  outfit  are  the  fly-book  and  its  contents.  To  se- 
lect intelligently  the  flies  upon  which  your 
Trout  Flies,  success  or  non-success  will  very  greatly 
depend  it  is  necessary  to  take  into  consid- 
eration a  number  of  facts  known  to  be  generally  ap- 
plicable. As  a  general  rule  avoid  brilliant  flies;  flies 
of  subdued  coloration,  except  in  wilderness  streams 
where  the  trout  will  take  anything,  are  practically  the 
only  successful  ones.  Upon  very  dark  days,  or  when 
the  water  is  slightly  flooded  and  discolored,  they  should 
be  lighter  in  color  and  somewhat  larger  than  those  used 
when  both  weather  and  water  are  clear. 

Flies  of  numbers  eight,  ten,  and  twelve,  are  gener- 
ally the  best,  number  eight  being  the  most  universally 
effective,  although  late  in  the  season,  or  at  any  time 
when  the  stream  is  very  low  and  clear,  numbers  ten  and 
twelve  and  occasionally  even  smaller  are  to  be  pre- 
ferred. Personally  I  would  be  satisfied  with  the  fol- 
lowing trout  flies  in  good  quantity  and  range  of  sizes: 
coachman,  grizzly  king,  cowdung,  Cahill,  Beaverkill, 
queen  of  the  water,  brown  hackle,  Montreal,  and 
March  brown. 

A  great  deal  depends  upon  the  hooks  on  which  the 
flies  are  dressed.  The  Sproat  hook,  all  things  consid- 
ered, is  much  the  best.  Above  all  things  avoid  cheap 
flies;  they  are  flimsily  tied  upon  hooks  of  poor  quality 
and  are  far  more  deceiving  to  the  tyro  fly-fisher  than 
to  the  brook  trout.  It  is  a  very  good  plan  to  use  the 
coachman,  a  consistently  successful  fly  at  all  times  and 
seasons,  for  your  end  fly.  The  white  wing  of  this  fly 
IS  easily  seen  in  broken  water,  and  sometimes  when 


12         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

using  small,  dark  colored  flies  in  the  rapids  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  tell  just  where  the  cast  is.  A  good  strong 
fly-book  to  hold  at  least  four  dozen  flies  is  necessary. 

In  addition  to  the  flies  named  above  the  angler  plan- 
ning a  trip  to  the  famous  trout  waters  of  Maine  and 
Canada,  the  Rangeleys,  the  Nepigon,  and  other  lakes 
and  large  streams  should  add  to  his  collection  the 
Parmachene  belle  (first  tied  by  Henry  P.  Wells,  the 
writer  of  that  best  of  all  fly-fishing  books,  "Fly-rods 
and  Fly-tackle,"  with  a  special  view  to  use  in  Maine 
waters)  and  the  silver  doctor  upon  hooks  of  larger 
sizes  than  those  above  suggested;  it  should  be  stated, 
however,  that  even  in  wilderness  streams  flies  dressed 
on  small  hooks  are  often  the  only  successful  ones.  The 
last  named  flies  are  also  good  for  sea  trout  and  ouana- 
niche. 

Latterly  American  anglers  are  taking  up  to  some  ex- 
tent the  English  method  of  dry-fly  casting,  using  a  float- 
ing fly  which  is  always  cast  dry  and  fished  upon  the 
surface  of  the  water — a  very  effective  method  for  fish- 
ing still-waters  and  large,  quiet  pools.  It  does  not  seem 
advisable  to  discuss  dry-fly  fishing  at  this  point,  since 
we  are  now  speaking  only  generally  of  fly-fishing 
methods.  Dry-fly  fishing  is  an  extremely  specialized 
form  of  the  sport  and  is  described  in  a  later  chapter  on 
"Fishing  the  Pools  and  Still-waters." 

Other  fly-fishing  requisites  are  leaders,  leader  box, 
creel,  landing  net,  and  waders.  On  the  trout  fly-rod 
leaders  longer  than  six  feet  should  not  generally  be  used 
on  account  of  the  danger  of  reeling  the  leader  knot 
through  the  tip-guide  and  thus  locking  the  line  fast. 


BROOK   TROUT   AND    FLY-CASTER    13 

The  six-foot  leader  is  best  for  three  flies;  when  using 

two  flies,  the  preferable  number,  a  five- 

^^5^7^^^^*  foot  leader  is  sufficiently  long.    Select  the 

D  iffle  ^^^^  known  as   "medium   trout."     The 

choice  of  leaders,  however,  is  intimately 
connected,  both  as  to  length  and  caliber,  with  the  stage 
of  water  and  weather  conditions.  Longer  and  finer 
leaders  must  be  used  over  low,  clear  water  than  when 
fishing  the  stream  under  normal  conditions.  Leaders 
must  never  be  used  when  dry  and  brittle  and  must 
first  be  soaked  in  water  to  render  them  pliable ;  for  this 
purpose  the  angler  should  carry  two  or  three  leaders  in 
a  nickel  leader  box  between  layers  of  wet  felt. 

A  nine-pound  creel,  with  "new  style"  shoulder  sling 
leaving  the  casting  arm  free,  is  most  suited  to  average 
trout  fishing  in  streams.  In  the  matter  of  waders  it 
may  be  said  that  for  general  purposes  light-weight  hip- 
boots  are  about  as  good  as  any.  Late  in  the  season  it 
is  the  best  plan  to  do  without  waders  and  wear  regular 
wading  shoes,  with  canvas  leggings,  or  any  pair  of  shoes 
with  small  slits  cut  in  them  to  let  out  the  water.  Light- 
weight knee-high  hunting  boots  are  very  satisfactory 
for  this  purpose ;  they  should  be  well  oiled.  Hob-nails 
not  too  many,  too  hard,  or  too  large,  are  advantageous 
when  wading  very  rocky  streams. 

A  small  landing  net  which  may  be  slung  over  the 
shoulder  by  an  elastic  cord,  or  fitted  with  a  catch  so 
that  it  may  be  hung  on  a  button  or  ring  on  the  front  of 
the  coat,  should  always  be  carried;  the  angler  who 
religiously  packs  a  landing  net  will  far  less  frequently 
tell  the  familiar  story  of  the  "whale"  that  "got  away." 


14  THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

To  be  sure,  a  landing  net  Is  more  or  less  of  a  nuisance 
in  the  brush,  but  it  should  be  considered  as  a  very  nec- 
essary evil.  Late  in  the  season  fly-medicine  or  "dope" 
is  a  necessary  item;  frequently,  as  I  have  said  else- 
where, it  spells  the  difference  between  fly-fishing  and 
mere  fly-fighting.  A  canvas,  khaki,  or  duxbak  hunting 
coat  because  of  its  many  pockets  is  handiest  for  trout 
fishing  wear  and  very  durable.  The  waterproof  qual- 
ity of  the  duxbak  material  is  especially  desirable. 

Stream  Fly-fishing  in  General 

The  typical  trout  stream  of  the  woodlands  or  wil- 
derness, as  intimated  above,  is  a  thing  of  infinite  variety. 
Swift-running,  shallow  riffles  deepen  and  increase  in 
swiftness,  forming  strong,  turbulent  rapids.  These  are 
succeeded  by  falls,  and  at  the  foot  are  dark,  quiet  pools. 
Now  one  comes  upon  some  long,  still  reach  where  there 

15  little  or  no  current;  and  again  he  finds  the  stream 
combining  riffle  and  quiet  water  in  a  manner  difficult 
to  describe. 

The  stream  bed  Is  also  subject  to  constant  variation. 
Although  In  most  trout  streams  gravel  bottom  predom- 
inates, yet  there  will  be  many  places  where  it  will  be 
merely  sand,  possibly  large  boulders  lying  close  together, 
or  perhaps  the  bottom  will  be  weedy.  You  know  there 
are  trout  In  the  stream — but  where?  Are  they  in  the 
riffles,  rapids,  or  pools  ?  What  is  the  nature  of  the  stream 
bottom  for  which  they  may  have  some  passing  prefer- 
ence? Obviously  the  solution  is  a  matter  of  natural 
history — the  habits  of  the  brook  trout. 


BROOK  TROUT   AND   FLY-CASTER    15 

The  brook  trout  is  essentially  a  creature  of  varied 
moods  and  tenses.  He  is  here  to-day ;  gone  to-morrow. 
To-day  he  favors  some  certain  fly,  to-morrow  another 
and  quite  different  insect.  At  one  time  he  Is  lively  and 
playful;  at  another  sluggish  and  sulky.  To  an  uncer- 
tain degree  only  can  his  actions  be  forecasted.  But, 
although  he  is  eccentric,  and  many  of  his  actions  are 
exceptions  to  all  rules,  several  facts  are  generally  true 
of  him.  Given  the  proper  outfit  and  competent  skill  in 
its  use,  there  remains  for  the  fly-fisherman  only  the  ne- 
cessity of  compassing  as  far  as  may  be  these  general 
truths  about  trout. 

In  October  or  November  trout  ascend  to  the  headwa- 
ters of  the  streams  for  the  purpose  of  spawning.  Then 
they  drift  gradually  back  to  lower  wa- 

TT  ^'  ters,  and  early  spring  finds  them  in  the 

pools  and  deeper  portions  of  the  stream. 
At  this  time  the  water  is  usually  bank-high  and  full  of 
"snow-broth."  Even  after  the  snow  has  disappeared 
from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  river  snow-water  is 
still  running,  for  in  the  deep  mountain  ravines  from 
which  the  little  "feeder"  brooks  flow  down  ice  and 
snow  remain  until  the  season  is  well  advanced.  Thus 
early  in  the  season  trout  are  torpid  and  when  hooked 
show  little  or  no  spirit.  As  soon  as  the  river  is  fairly 
clear  they  will  take  bait,  and  this  is  the  most  successful 
way  of  fishing  for  them  at  this  time. 

If  you  insist  on  fly-fishing  you  can  hope  for  only 
moderate  returns.  The  trout  are  ground-feeding  and 
rise  to  the  surface  with  the  utmost  reluctance.  One 
method  of  fly-fishing  under  these  conditions  is  to  use  a 


i6         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

silver  doctor  or  some  other  brilliantly  colored  fly  and 
fish  it  well  beneath  the  surface.  The  shining,  silver 
body  of  this  fly  has  a  minnov^-like  glitter  vs^hen  drawn 
through  the  water  that  will  sometimes  induce  a  fish  to 
strike.  But,  all  things  considered,  it  is  far  better  to 
depend  on  your  bait-box,  or,  if  you  are  a  fly-fishing  pur- 
ist, to  stay  at  home.  Most  of  us  consider  it  a  sacred 
duty  to  wet  a  line  on  the  opening  day  or  as  soon  there- 
after as  possible.  This  duty  fulfilled,  we  are  content 
to  await  the  more  favorable  conditions  which  prevail  in 
May  and  June. 

When  the  stream  has  resumed  its  normal  level  and 
clarity  and  the  water  has  been  warmed  by  the  spring 
,,.  -  sunshine,  the  fly-fishing  is  at  its  best.    In- 

lVll(I-S63.SOn 

Fishing;  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^  "°^  abundant  on  the  banks 
and  over  the  surface  of  the  water.  The 
fish  are  in  the  rifl^les  and  rapids,  having  deserted  the 
deeper  pools  and  reaches.  Also,  they  are  constantly 
foraging  and  their  taste  in  the  matter  of  insects,  both 
natural  and  artificial,  is  much  more  catholic  than  later 
in  the  season.  Other  things  being  equal,  the  fly-fisher- 
man IS  now  in  his  glory  and  should  have  no  difficulty 
in  making  a  good  score. 

Then   comes   the  late   spring  and   summer   fishing. 

Now,  indeed,  must  one  cast  fine  and  far-oflF.    Low  and 

clear  water  prevails.     The  hot  sun  for 

p.  ,  .  weeks  has  beaten  on  the  stream,  and  the 

trout,  seeking  the  cool  water  which  their 

nature  demands,  are  again  in  the  deeper  waters,  about 

the  spring-holes,  and  generally  farther  up-stream  than 

theretofore.     You  may  find  the  lower  portions  of  the 


BROOK   TROUT   AND    FLY-CASTER    17 

stream  practically  trout  deserted.  A  good  place  to  cast, 
at  this  time,  is  where  some  little  mountain  brook  empties 
into  the  river.  Fishing  in  the  early  morning  and  late 
afternoon  is  the  most  resultful.  In  the  cool  of  the  even- 
ing the  trout  v^ork  out  from  their  day-time  lairs  and 
may  be  found  feeding  in  the  riffles. 

With  the  above  generalities  as  a  basis  we  can  now 

consider  with  more  detail  certain  special  aspects  of  the 

trout  problem.     In  trout  fishing,  as  in 

Where  to    m^ny  other  things,  it  is  a  good  plan  to 

.     rwy       J.        make  haste  slowly.     One  can  never  tell 
Trout.  .  .  .         ,  ^        .  X.     r  i_ 

with  certainty  just  where  the  iish  may 

be  lying.     Until  you  have  arrived  at  some  reasonable 

conclusion  on  this  point,  fish  all  the  water.     Try  the 

little,  shallow  ripples  near  the  banks.    Wet  the  flies  in 

every  part  of  the  riffles  and  rapids.    When  you  come  to 

a  pool  fish  all  of  it  from  the  head,  then  go  around  and 

fish  all  of  it  from  below.     Do  not  neglect  the  little 

eddies  around  boulders  and  half -submerged  trees.  Many 

times  the  best  fish  are  taken  in  the  most  unlikely  places. 

Where  the  stream  has  fretted  away  the  soil  so  as  to 
form  a  hiding  place  beneath  the  overhanging  bank, 
watch  out  for  the  "big  one."  Proceeding  in  this  man- 
ner, you  will  soon  discover  the  nature  of  the  places 
where  the  majority  of  the  fish  are  lying,  and  if  your 
time  IS  limited  you  can  pass  by  those  which  seem  least 
productive.  On  some  days  most  of  the  trout  will  be 
found  in  the  riffles ;  on  others  the  riffles  are  deserted  by 
all  save  the  smallest  fry  and  you  will  strike  most  of 
your  trout  in  the  deeper  rapids  or  the  pools. 

In  the  experimental  stage  of  the  day's  fishing  it  is 


i8        THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

well  also  to  determine  as  quickly  as  possible  which 
p      ,  method  of  presenting  the  flies  seems  to 

Experimfnts.*'^  ^^'^  P^P^^^"*  ^^^^  ^^^  .^*-     "  *^ 
customary  method   of   casting,    that   is, 

keeping  the  flies  well  up  on  the  surface,  does  not  pro- 
duce sufficiently  satisfactory  results,  try  the  submerged 
fly.  A  variation  in  the  method  frequently  spells  the 
difference  between  success  and  failure.  I  have  often 
made  good  baskets  of  trout  by  fishing  the  flies  from  six 
inches  to  a  foot  underneath  the  surface,  when,  at  the 
same  time,  it  was  impossible  to  induce  a  strike  by  ortho- 
dox surface  fishing. 

Trout  habits  are  in  great  measure  a  matter  of  local- 
ity. If  you  are  to  fish  a  stream  that  is  new  to  you,  by 
all  means  get  into  communication,  if  possible,  with 
some  local  angler  and  believe  all  that  he  tells  you.  If 
he  is  the  right  kind  of  a  sportsman  he  will  save  you 
many  hours  which  might  otherwise  be  spent  in  un- 
successful experimenting. 

Down-stream  fishing  is  best  adapted  to  the  swift  cur- 
rent of  most  American  trout  streams,  although  where 
,  the  stream  is  quiet  it  may  properly,  and 

.  sometimes  to  better  advantage,  be  fished 

"up."  Large,  quiet  pools  and  extensive 
still-waters  may  properly  first  be  whipped  at  the  lower 
part  and  then  from  the  head.  It  is  not  at  all  necessary 
to  be  early  on  the  stream;  there  are  more  natural  flies 
on  the  water  after  the  sun  has  been  up  for  a  time  and 
consequently  the  trout  are  then  more  likely  to  rise  to 
the  artificials.  Early  in  the  season  a  bright  day  is  no 
disadvantage,  rather  the  opposite ;  but  later,  in  the  latter 


BROOK   TROUT   AND    FLY-CASTER    19 

part  of  June  and  in  summer,  an  overcast  day  is  far  the 
best. 

Other  things  being  equal,  the  angler  who  is  most 
skilled  in  striking  his  fish  will  have  a  much  heavier 
creel  than  the  one  less  proficient  in  this  respect.  To 
connect  consistently  with  rising  trout  demands  cool 
nerves  and  the  quickest  of  eyes  and  wrist.  The  strike 
must  come  at  just  the  proper  time  and  with  just  the 
proper  degree  of  force.  The  too  strenuous  strike  will 
tear  the  hook  away  from  the  fish. 

It  is  a  better  fault  to  strike  too  quickly  than  too  late. 
If  you  strike  too  quickly  the  trout  will  be  missed  clean 
and  not  pricked,  and  will  often  rise  again,  but  if  the 
strike  is  delayed  and  the  fish  has  the  chance  to  mouth  the 
fly  he  will  instantly  eject  it  and  will  certainly  not  rise 
again.  Strike  with  the  wrist  only  at  the  first  suspicion 
of  a  rising  fish — you  can  hardly  strike  too  quickly — and 
with  a  degree  of  force  in  proportion  to  your  tackle  and 
the  trout;  large  trout  should  be  struck  good  and  hard. 
In  the  rapids  trout  vdll  often  hook  themselves;  it  is 
when  fishing  the  still  pools  and  reaches  of  quiet  water 
that  skilled  striking  is  at  a  premium. 

Do  not  hurry  about  landing  the  fish.  Let  him  run, 
always  keeping  a  taut  line  and  steering  him  away  from 
the  danger  spots,  until  he  is  pretty  well  played  out ;  then 
lead  him  to  the  landing  net  in  some  quiet  side  eddy,  or 
beach  him  on  some  sloping  bar.  When  using  the  net 
have  it  submerged  and  lead  the  fish  over  it.  To  do 
this  effectively  you  should  be  down-stream  from  the  fish 
so  that  the  current  will  float  the  fish  over  the  net  in- 
stead of  away  from  it. 


20        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

Always  line  your  creel  with  wet  moss  or  ferns  to 
keep  the  trout  fresh  and  looking  as  if  newly  caught. 

Always  kill  your  fish  immediately  after  taking  him 
off  the  hook,  and  when  you  are  wading  the  rapids  it  is 
a  wise  plan  to  kill  him  before  you  take  him  off.  Me- 
dium-sized trout  may  be  killed  easily  by  Inserting  the 
forefinger  or  thumb  In  the  mouth  and  bending  the  head 
sharply  backward. 

That  the  brook  trout  Is  most  eccentric  in  its  habits  is 

generally  conceded.     Whether  It  Is  more  finicky  than 

the  black  bass  Is  a  question,  for  this  fish, 

Brook  Trout  ^jg^^  jg  famous  for  its  uncertainties.    The 

^^ties^^^^"  ^^"^  '^^'^  "knows  all  about  trout'*  docs 
not  exist,  although  you  have  probably  met 
him.  Long  experience  in  trout  fishing,  both  with  fly 
and  bait,  is  conducive  to  a  deeply  rooted  belief  that  the 
brook  trout  will  most  certainly  not  "stay  put.'*  When 
you  think  you  have  pinned  him  down  as  to  some  phase 
of  character  or  habit,  your  next  fishing  trip  Is  quite  apt 
to  result  In  a  complete  reversal  of  opinion  as  to  that 
same  characteristic. 

Experts  agree  to  disagree,  and  arguments  concerning 
fonttnalis  are  unending  and  profitable  only  In  that 
they  serve  to  sustain  angling  interest.  Not  only  Is  there 
confusion  as  to  these  matters  of  character  and  habit, 
but  the  scientists  meet  with  more  difficulty  in  dealing 
with  the  Salmonidae  than  with  any '  other  group  of 
game  fishes.  With  elusive  ease  and  supreme  Indiffer- 
ence the  trout  refuse  to  be  classified  and  Ichthyologlcally 
tagged.     As  to  this,  however,  the  fisherman  need  not 


BROOK  TROUT  AND   FLY-CASTER    21 

concern  himself  over-much,  since  he  has  his  own 
troubles. 

In  stream  fishing,  for  instance,  it  frequently  happens 
that  after  a  run  of  good  luck  the  fish  suddenly  cease 
rising  and  are  apparently  down  to  stay.  The  angler 
who  faces  this  situation  is  usually  hopelessly  at  sea.  The 
question  of  what  to  do  obstinately  remains  unanswered. 
It  may  be  that  some  temporary  hatch  of  flies  upon 
which  the  trout  have  been  feeding  has  ceased.  It  may 
be  that  that  particular  stretch  of  water  is  temporarily 
deserted  by  the  trout  for  some  unknown  reason.  Per- 
haps this  portion  of  the  river  is  permanently  avoided 
by  the  fish.  Explanations  and  theories  buzz  merrily  in 
the  angler's  brain,  and  finally  he  "goes  it  blind." 

At  every  few  casts  he  changes  flies.  He  tries  both 
surface  and  submerged  fishing.  Without  avail  he  em- 
ploys every  fly-fishing  artifice  known  to  him.  At  last, 
when  he  is  discouraged  and  about  to  take  the  rod  down, 
he  gets  a  rise  and  a  trout.  Then  another  candidate  ap- 
pears and  is  elected  to  the  creel.  Exactly  what  has  hap- 
pened the  angler  does  not  know,  and,  since  the  fish  are 
again  on  the  rise,  he  cares  little  until  home  again  and 
in  conversation  with  some  fellow  fisherman  the  occur- 
rence is  brought  up  for  argument  and  thoroughly  sifted. 
Generally  some  sufficiently  plausible  explanation  is  con- 
cocted and  confidently  relied  upon  until  a  similar  state 
of  affairs  arises  on  a  subsequent  trip  and  the  pet  theory 
suffers  a  compound  fracture. 

One  of  the  most  exasperating  of  trout  habits  is  that 
of  rising  short.  When  the  fish  are  in  this  mood  the 
angler's  character  suffers  in  inverse  ratio  to  his  capac- 


22        THE   FINE  ART   OF   FISHING 

ity  for  patient  endurance  under  much  adversity. 
Whether  it  is  a  matter  for  congratulation  that  when 
the  trout  are  rising  short  they  are  generally  rising  pretty 
freely  is  a  question.  Certainly  the  more  short  rises  you 
have,  with  consequent  failures  to  hook  the  fish,  the 
more  you  are  inclined  to  wax  exceeding  wroth  and  feel 
like  smashing  things.  But  this  free  rising  of  the  fish, 
even  under  these  conditions,  generally  results  in  a  cap- 
ture now  and  then,  and  for  this  reason  it  should  prob- 
ably be  considered  a  good  rather  than  an  evil. 

When  the  fish  are  acting  in  this  manner  the  angler 
is  at  first  inclined  to  believe  that  he  is  striking  too 
quickly  and  jerking  the  flies  away.  But  if  he  steadies 
down  and  strikes  more  deliberately,  he  soon  discovers 
that  the  fault  is  with  the  fish.  To  increase  his  discom- 
fiture it  generally  happens  that  the  trout  strikes  just 
closely  enough  to  result  in  being  pricked  and  lost. 

So  far  as  the  writer  knows  there  is  no  remedy.  It  is 
simply  to  be  endured.  The  exact  mental  bias  of  a  brook 
trout  when  he  is  determined  to  rise  short  has  been  var- 
iously conjectured,  but  is  still  to  be  definitely  decided. 
It  has  been  claimed  that  he  is  merely  playful;  that  he 
desires  to  maim  the  insect  for  future  reference,  or,  per- 
haps for  the  fun  of  the  cruelty ;  also,  that  he  rises  purely 
out  of  curiosity  and  without  intention  or  desire  to  take 
the  lure.  Any  of  these  theories  is  probable,  plausible, 
and  possible,  and  the  angler  may  take  his  choice  with 
the  certainty  that  whichever  of  them  he  may  elect  tc 
rely  upon  may  be  easily  proved  conclusively — and  with 
equal  ease  absolutely  discredited. 

Probably  the  most  heartrending  situation  with  which 


BROOK   TROUT   AND   FLY-CASTER    23 

the  trout  fly-fisherman  is  now  and  again  confronted  is 
when  the  trout  are  jumping  continually,  feeding  upon 
some  certain  fly,  or,  it  may  be,  in  play.  At  such  times 
the  angler^s  desire  to  obtain  a  few  "specimens"  of  the 
brook  trout  is  greatly  increased  by  the  sight  of  the  leap- 
ing fish,  while  at  the  same  time,  if  he  is  an  experienced 
angler,  he  is  fully  aware  of  the  fact  that  no  possible 
conditions  could  be  more  unpropitious  for  success.  Very 
rarely  it  will  happen  that  if  the  trout  are  rising  to  some 
natural  fly  the  angler  can  make  a  killing  by  hitting  upon 
the  most  approximate  artificial.  It  seldom  occurs.  The 
right  fly,  somehow,  is  hardly  ever  in  the  fly-book.  Here 
again  the  angler  realizes  his  utter  helplessness,  and  very 
acutely. 

The  whys  and  wherefores  of  the  brook  trout  are  in- 
numerable and  as  unsolvable  as  numerous.  To  the 
sportsman  they  are  a  never-ending  source  of  interest  and 
of  difficulty.  The  wise  angler  will  thank  Heaven  each 
time  he  creels  a  trout — it  may  be  the  very  last  one. 


CHAPTER  II 

FLY-FISHING  FOR  BROWN  AND 
RAINBOW  TROUT 

WHEN  the  Eastern  angler  speaks  of  fly-fish- 
ing for  trout  the  speckled  brook  trout, 
Salvelinus  fontinalis,  is  always  implied;  but 
while  it  is  true  that,  fortunately,  the  red-spotted  trout 
is  still  the  most  common  resident  of  our  streams,  yet  in 
many  streams  fontinalis  now  shares  the  water  with  one 
or  both  of  two  other  good  game  fishes,  the  brown  trout 
and  the  rainbow  trout,  Salmo  fario  and  Salmo  irideus 
respectively.  Of  the  two  the  brown  trout  is  the  more 
common  and  it  is  well  for  the  fly-caster  to  know  some- 
thing about  its  nature  and  habits  and  the  most  suitable 
tackle  and  methods  for  fly-fishing  for  brown  trout; 
also  he  should  know  the  facts  of  a  similar  nature  re- 
garding the  rainbow. 

The  Brown  Trout 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  brown  trout  had 
been  a  resident  of  many  of  our  streams  for  a  good  many 
years,  to  be  exact  since  1882,  it  seems  that  among  an- 
glers in  general  exact  information  concerning  this  trout 

24 


BROWN   AND   RAINBOW   TROUT     25 

is  rather  diiEcult  to  find.  To  one  who  has  had  the 
opportunity  and  privilege  of  taking  this  fish  in  goodly 
numbers  the  dissertations,  opinions,  disputes,  and  theo- 
ries of  fishermen  who  have  not  enjoyed  a  close  acquaint- 
ance with  Sal  mo  fario,  but  are  ever  ready  to  discuss 
the  subject,  are  somewhat  amusing. 

To  cite  a  concrete  example:  Recently  a  reasonably 
proficient  angler,  journeying  from  one  of  our  larger 
cities  to  a  trout  stream  which  the  writer  has  fished 
times  almost  innumerable,  brought  home  with  him  a 
number  of  strange,  outlandish  fish  all  very  sizable.  The 
angler  stated  to  an  admiring  audience  of  friends  that  the 
fish  had  fought  like  tigers,  that  he  had  had  the  time  of 
his  life,  etc.,  etc. — but  what  were  they?  Briefly,  the 
fish  were  imagined  to  be  of  every  sort  except  the  right 
one,  and  some  of  the  guesses  were  particularly  wild 
and  humorous.     The  fish  were  simply  brown  trout. 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  chapter  to  state  some  of  the 

facts  known  to  many  anglers  about  the  brown  trout 

Fontinalis     ^^^»  ^^  would  seem,  quite  unknown  to 

vs.  many  others,   possibly  to   the  majority. 

Fario*        First,  however,  the  writer  would  recall 

the  somewhat  trite  fact  that  comparisons  are_  always 

and  inevitably  odious.     Wherefore,  one  might  suggest 

that  our  native  trout  be  left  out  of  the  discussion.    For 

some  reason  unknown  to  the  present  writer,  anglers 

are  prone  at  the  very  mention  of  the  brown  trout  to 

consider  the  entire  question  one  of  comparison  between 

the  brown  and  the  native,  naturally  to  the  detriment  of 

the  former;  fontinalis  vs.  fario  has  been  argued  times 

without  number. 


26         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

The  discussion  is  futile.  Rightly,  there  can  be  no 
question  as  regards  the  respective  sporting  qualities  of 
the  two.  Our  native  trout,  the  speckled  brook  trout,  is 
clearly  in  a  class  by  itself.  No  other  trout,  or  any 
other  game  fish,  has  ever  been  or  ever  v^ill  be  so  well 
beloved  by  sportsmen.  So  let  us  consider  the  brown 
trout  strictly  on  its  own  merits  and  not  as  an  actual  or 
even  possible  rival  of  our  red-spotted  charr. 

The  German  or  brown  trout  was  first  planted  in 

American  waters,  as  above  noted,  in   1882,  the  eggs 

coming    from    Germany    and    England. 

Urigm  m      -por  some  time  thereafter  the  fish  were 
.rVin.cric3 

propagated  and  planted  by  the  United 

States  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  but  at  the  present  time  fry 
or  fingerlings  can  only  be  obtained  from  private  hatch- 
eries. The  Federal  Bureau  ceased  distributing  the 
brown  trout  for  reasons  which  will  appear  later.  Be- 
fore the  cessation  of  propagation,  however,  the  range 
of  the  brown  trout  had  attained  large  proportions,  and 
they  are  now  to  be  found  in  very  many  of  our  trout 
streams  both  East  and  West. 

The  brown  trout  is  a  true  trout,  a  salmon  trout,  and 

not  a  charr,  in  which  it  diifers  from  our  native  trout. 

If  you  are  a  good  angler  and  kill  your 

The  Brown  £gj^   immediately   after  landing  them — 

True  Trout  ^^^^^'  ^^  suggested  in  the  preceding 
*  chapter,  can  best  be  done  In  the  case  of 
trout  of  moderate  size  by  inserting  the  forefinger  in  the 
mouth  of  the  fish  and  bending  the  head  sharply  back- 
ward— you  will  have  reason  to  note  very  "sharply"  an 
anatomical  difference  between  the  mouth  of  a  salmon 


BROWN    AND   RAINBOW   TROUT      27 

trout  and  that  of  a  charr.  The  brown  trout  has  teeth 
in  no  uncertain  quantity  or  degree  of  penetration  on 
the  front  of  the  bone  in  the  roof  of  the  mouth.  These 
are  lacking  in  the  charr.  It  should  be  said  also  that 
the  presence  of  this  efficient  dental  weapon  at  once 
marks  the  brown  trout  as  a  fish  killer. 

A  good  many  years  ago  I  caught  my  first  brown 

trout,   a  rather  small  specimen,  and  although  at  the 

.         time  I  did  not  know  the  exact  nature  of 

Coloration.    ^^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^  evident  at  once  that  it 

was  no  very  close  relative  of  our  common  trout — simply 
because  the  fish  had  very  appreciable  scales.  The  scales 
of  our  native  trout,  although  they  exist,  are  micro- 
scopic. Those  of  the  brown  trout  are  easily  seen.  The 
coloration  of  the  brown  trout  is  quite  different  from 
that  of  any  other  trout  either  native,  rainbow,  or  any 
of  the  Western  species.  The  color  scheme  is  best 
described  by  William  C.  Harris,  as  follows: 

"The  brown  trout  is,  in  American  waters,  rather 
slimmer  in  build  than  our  American  red-spotted  trout, 
with  a  larger  and  more  pointed  head.  The  back  is 
dark  green  covered  with  well-defined  black  spots,  and 
the  dorsal  fin  has  both  black  and  bright  red  or  ver- 
milion spots ;  the  adipose,  or  fatty  fin,  is  also  beautifully 
decorated  with  three  red  spots.  Below  the  lateral  line 
the  coloration  is  of  a  yellowish  cast  with  a  greenish  sil- 
very background.  The  tail,  or  caudal  fin,  is  square,  and 
on  its  edges  there  is  a  reddish  stripe;  the  other  fins  are 
orange  in  color,  the  ventral  and  anal  having  a  white 
stripe  on  the  under  edge  shaded  with  deep  orange;  the 
head,  the  under  part  of  which  is  yellow,  and  the  gill 


28         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

covers  are  covered  w^ith  dark  spots;  the  belly  Is  pure 
w^hite,  above  which  is  a  deep  yellow  hue." 

The  back  of  the  brown  trout  is  not  marbled,  or  ver- 
mlculated,  as  in  the  case  of  fontinalis.  The  coloration 
is  quite  as  susceptible  to  change  due  to  environment  as 
that  of  the  native  trout.  The  most  beautiful  specimens 
are  those  living  in  fast  water,  unshaded,  and  running 
over  gravel  bottom.  Such  fish  are  extremely  brilliant 
in  coloration,  with  vivid  red  spots  and  a  very  beautiful 
golden  luster.  Others,  living  in  slow,  deep,  shaded 
water  with  dark  bottom,  are  dull  in  coloration.  The 
spawning  period  and  habits  are  practically  those  of  the 
native  trout. 

The  brown  trout  is  the  trout  of  our  English  brother 

anglers  and  is  the  fish  either  particularly  referred  to 

or  implied  as  a  matter  of  course  in  the 

The  Brown    English  literature  of  fly-fishing.     Over 

1.^^^  ^^n  there  the  pursuit  of  the  trout — the  Brit- 
the  Dry-fly.  .  ,         t      i_-  i 

isher  takes  his  sport  rather  more  serious- 
ly than  does  the  Yankee — has  been  reduced  to  an  exact 
science,  at  least  to  such  a  degree  of  exactness  as  the 
nature  of  the  sport  permits.  The  outcome  of  this  de- 
termined onslaught  upon  the  ranks  of  the  brown  trout 
is  seen  in  the  resultant  English  method  of  dry-fly  fish- 
ing, latterly  coming  Into  some  prominence  in  this  coun- 
try. A  single  dry  or  floating  fly  is  used,  and  cast  only 
— in  case  the  angler  Is  a  dry-fly  purist,  that  Is,  in  the 
last  stages  of  the  disease — to  a  rising  trout.  The  arti- 
ficials mostly  in  use  are  exact  Imitations  of  the  preva- 
lent insect  life  of  the  stream. 

The  reports  of  American  anglers  who  have  experi- 


BROWN   AND   RAINBOW   TROUT     29 

merited  with  the  dry-fly  on  home  waters  are  not,  on  the 
whole,  over-enthusiastic,  although  in  individual  cases 
some  very  remarkable  successes  have  been  recorded. 
The  paucity  of  results  may  be  due,  although  I  have 
never  seen  it  suggested,  to  the  characteristic  difference 
between  the  native  and  the  brown  trout.  The  dry-fly 
method  has  been  evolved  almost  purely  as  a  means  of 
taking  the  latter,  and  it  seems  not  unreasonable  that 
an  effective  method  for  taking  the  one  should  fail  some- 
what in  the  case  of  the  other.  Dry-fly  fishing  should 
be  entirely  successful  on  any  suitable  American  stream 
abounding  in  brown  trout,  for,  although  there  are 
slight  variations  of  habit  between  the  brown  trout  of 
British  and  those  of  American  streams,  they  are  not  of 
such  a  degree  or  nature  as  to  render  it  probable  that  a 
method  so  successful  on  the  other  side  should  be  much 
less  effective  here.  But  the  water  must  be  suitable; 
that  is,  not  too  swift  and  broken. 

Purely  as  a  sporting  proposition  the  brown  trout  is 
a  decided  success.     In  other  words,  he  puts  up  a  good 
fight.      There   are    marked    differences, 
n^vl^^      however,    between    the    way    a    brown 
*     trout  conducts  himself  when  taking  a  fly 
and  thereafter  and  the  behavior  of  the  native.    Especi- 
ally noteworthy  is  the  fact  that  very  often  the  brown 
trout  will  leap  on  a  slack  line.    Artists  who  illustrate 
the  sportsmen's  periodicals  are  fond  of  picturing  the 
brook  trout  leaping  high  in  the  air  with  all  the  ease 
and  athletic  ability  of  the  small-mouthed  black  bass, 
the  Atlantic  salmon,  or  the  tarpon,  but  the  observant 
and  experienced  reader,  although  he  may  condone  the 


30        THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

matter  as  merely  poetic  or  artistic  license,  knows  full 
well  that  the  thing  is  a  pure  nature  fake. 

The  brook  trout,  unless  fairly  yanked  from  the  wa- 
ter by  too  strenuous  rod  work,  so  seldom  that  one  can 
almost  say  positively  never  leaps  from  the  water.  In 
rare  instances  he  may  leap  upon  a  slack  line,  but  the 
general  rule  is  quite  the  other  way.  The  brook  trout 
does  not  belong  to  that  class  of  game  fishes  which  may 
be  called  the  leapers,  but  the  brown  trout  may  rightly 
be  thus  classified.  The  leap  of  the  brown  in  the  effort 
to  rid  himself  of  the  hook  is  very  much  like  that  of  the 
black  bass,  a  spectacular  and  vicious  shaking  of  the 
entire  body  in  the  air.  I  once  struck  a  good  rise  of 
brown  trout,  taking  six  in  almost  that  number  of  casts^ 
running  from  a  half  to  one  pound,  and  every  one  of 
them  jumped  one  or  more  times. 

There  is  an  impression  that  the  brown  trout  rises 
reluctantly  to  the  artificial  fly.  Nothing  could  be  more 
erroneous.  They  are  very  free  risers  when  conditions 
are  at  all  favorable — quite  as  much  so  as  the  native 
trout.  The  fight  of  the  brown  trout  is  not  as  fast,  as 
electric,  as  that  of  the  native  trout,  but  when  in  good 
condition  the  brownie  is  a  very  bulldog  for  tenacity, 
making  a  prolonged  and  decided  objection  to  coming  to 
the  net.  In  fact,  sometimes  it  is  pretty  hard  to  tell 
just  when  he  is  "all  in" — it  is  a  very  hard  fish  to  tire 
entirely  out.  Frequently  when  you  have  a  brown  trout 
of  good  fighting  size  almost  at  the  edge  of  your  land- 
ing net  he  will  apparently  acquire  an  entirely  new  lease 
of  life  and  fight  his  way  back  to  mid-stream. 

As  a  general  thing  you  will  have  little  trouble  in 


BROWN   AND   RAINBOW   TROUT     31 

hooking  a  large  brown  trout  when  he  rises  to  the  fly. 
.  Striking  is  often  quite  unnecessary,  for 

^*  they  take  the  fly  in  a  very  vicious  and 
emphatic  manner.  A  good  many  times  the  brown  trout 
will  leap  from  the  water  and  take  the  fly  on  his  down- 
ward flight.  Usually  the  native  does  not  show  him- 
self to  any  extent  unless  he  misses  the  fly,  when  he  will 
sometimes  shoot  straight  up  in  the  air.  Of  course,  not 
every  brown  trout,  or  every  speckled  trout  will  con- 
duct himself  in  this  manner  and  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  general  rules ;  the  above  states  merely  the  gen- 
eral course  of  action  of  the  two  under  normal  condi- 
tions. 

The  brown  trout  should  never  be  planted  in  a  stream 

inhabited  by  native  trout  unless  the  conditions  are  such 

that  the  natives  are  few  and  small  and 

Planting  stocking  with  them  does  not  materially 
Trout  iinprove  the  situation.  The  brown  is  a 
very  fast  grower  and  attains  a  large  size, 
the  increase  being  estimated  at  about  one  pound  a  year. 
Owing  to  the  piscivorous  nature  of  the  brown  trout 
and  their  larger  size,  natives  and  browns  do  not  do  well 
together,  the  former  eventually  yielding  the  stream  to 
the  foreigners.  Disregard  or  ignorance  of  this  fact 
when  the  brown  trout  was  first  introduced  into  this 
country  is  responsible  in  great  part  for  the  prejudice 
against  them.  But  m  streams  no  longer  favorable  to 
fontinalis,  and  there  are  many  such  due  to  logging  oper- 
ations, pollution,  etc.,  the  brown  trout,  by  nature  a  hard- 
ier fish  than  our  native  charr,  will  still  thrive,  and  such 
streams  may  be  made  to  furnish  good  sport  and  a  valu- 


32         THE    FINE   ART   OF    FISHING 

able  food  supply  by  stocking  with  brown  trout.  From 
imber  operations  results  a  rise  In  temperature  In  streams 
flowing  through  the  affected  tract.  The  brown  trout 
thrives  In  water  of  a  temperature  that  would  be  almost 
prohibitive  to  the  existence  of  the  native. 

Very  light  tackle  should  not  be  used  when  fishing  a 

stream  wholly  or  partially  inhabited  by  brown  trout. 

The    writer    has    seen    many    brownies 

Tackle  tor    weighing  from  two  to  three  pounds,  two 

Trout        ^^^  weighing  over  four  pounds  each,  and 

there  are  well  authenticated  captures  of 

brown  trout  up  to  the  vicinity  of  seven  pounds.     As 

noted   below,   the  brown   trout,  when  conditions   are 

favorable.  Is  a  fast-water  fish  and  even  with  reasonably 

strong   though   sportsmanlike   tackle,   the   chances 'are 

very  much  In  favor  of  the  fish.     The  outfit  should  be 

strong  throughout.    A  ten-foot  six-ounce  fly-rod  Is  well 

suited  to  the  game,  and  the  leader  particularly  should 

be  strong  and  of  the  finest  quality. 

For  wet-fly  fishing  any  of  the  accepted  trout  flies, 
the  choice  being  governed  by  the  usual  rules  In  regard 
to  fly  selection  for  the  speckled  trout,  are  effective,  with 
a  possible  preference  for  the  hackles;  the  gray  hackle 
with  red  body  Is  a  particularly  good  brown  trout  fly. 
Large  sized  flies,  on  number  six  and  four  hooks,  are 
occasionally  very  effective  In  deep,  fast  water.  Refer- 
ence has  been  made  above  to  the  utilization  of  dry- 
flies  for  fishing  the  pools  and  still-waters.  As  in  the 
case  of  the  brook  trout  the  largest  fish  will  most  often 
be  found  in  the  pools.  Many  of  the  American  stock 
trout  flies  may  now  be  had  dressed  in  dry-fly  fashion, 


BROWN   AND   RAINBOW   TROUT      33 

flies  such  as  the  Beaverkili,  March  brown,  etc.  A  land- 
ing net  IS  always  a  necessary  and  important  factor  on 
a  brown  trout  water. 

There  seems  to  be  a  popular  impression  that  the 
brown  trout  is  essentially  and  by  preference  an  inhabi- 
tant of  slow,  sluggish  water.     While  it 
The  Brownie  [^   ^.j-^g   ^\y^^   |.j^g   larger   specimens   are 
p.  ,  more  apt  to  be  found  in  the  pools  and 

deeper  portions  of  the  stream,  coming  to 
the  shallows  to  feed  at  night — even  as  the  native  trout 
— it  is  still  a  fact  that  average  fish,  from  a  half-pound 
up  to  two  pounds  and  a  half,  are  most  often  found  in 
the  most  broken,  swift,  and  rocky  water  which  the 
stream  affords. 

A  peculiar  fact,  and  one  well  worth  noting,  is  that 

in  such  a  reach  of  white  water,  the  brown  trout  is  very 

apt  to  lie  on  the  upstream  side  of  a  bould- 

Jj.^??*^^      ^r  rather  than  in  the  lee  below  it,  as 

TT-    .  would  be  generally  true  of  the  native 

trout.     The  discovery  of  this  fact,  very 

seldom  true  of  the  native  trout,  has  been  worth  many 

good  brown  trout  to  the  writer.     The  flies  should  be 

worked  cross-current  from  three  to  six  inches  above  and 

along  the  line  where  the  water  lips  the  boulder. 

The  known  presence  of  large  trout  in  the  stream 

lends  an  interest  to  a  day's  fly-fishing  quite  unknown 

when  the  angler  is  whipping  a  stream 

An  from  which  nothing  over  a  half-pound 

T»  -i-'i'u.  IS  liable  to  be  taken.  A  stream  inhabited 
Possibility.  ,     -  ,        ,  ... 

by  brown  trout  has  always  this  interest- 
ing possibility,  while,  unfortunately,  the  same  cannot  be 


34         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

said  of  the  great  majority  of  streams  in  which  are  native 
trout  alone.  Personally  the  writer  confesses  to  a  genuine 
admiration  for  the  brown  trout — with  the  conviction 
that  he  is  not  alone  in  this  opinion,  and  also  with  the 
knowledge  that  many  anglers  have  no  use  whatever  for 
the  brown  trout — and,  while  still  maintaining  that  our 
native  brook  trout  is  an  unrivaled  game  fish,  he  is  will- 
ing to  give  the  devil  his  due ;  in  other  words,  to  declare 
that  the  brown  trout  is  a  game  fish  worth  any  angler's 
consideration  and  skill. 

The  Rainbow  Trout 

The  rainbow  trout,  Salmo  irideus,  is  far  less  com- 
mon to  Eastern  trout  streams  than  the  brown  trout ;  in 
the  West  the  rainbow  is  indigenous  to  many  streams. 
This  is  a  true  trout,  a  salmon  trout  and  not  a  charr 
and,  in  fact,  has  more  points  in  common  with  the  brown 
trout  than  with  the  Eastern  brook.  It  Is  a  black-spotted 
trout;  as  in  the  case  of  the  brown  it  will  live  in  water 
of  a  higher  temperature  than  will  the  native;  it  is 
famous  for  leaping  when  hooked,  and  is  a  faster  grower 
than  the  native  trout. 

For  some  unknown   reason   stocking  trout  streams 

with  rainbow  fry  or  fingerlings  is  successful  only  in 

isolated  cases.     The  common  impression 

btockmg      seems  to  be  that  the  rainbows,  if  circum- 

Rainbows     ^^^"^^^  permit,  desert  the  shallow  water 

of   the   average   trout   stream   and   run 

down  into  deeper  rivers  and  lakes.    Whatever  may  be 

the  reason,  it  is  a  fact  that  although  many  streams  have 

been  stocked  with  rainbows  only  a  few  of  them  are  ever 


BROWN    AND    RAINBOW   TROUT      35 

taken  on  the  rod  and  after  a  season  or  two  they  disap- 
pear entirely.  But  in  some  cases  stocking  with  them 
has  been  entirely  successful  and  the  streams  wherein 
they  may  be  found  afford  some  of  the  finest  of  fly- 
fishing. 

As  a  game  fish  there  is  no  harder  fighter  than  the 
rainbow.    Almost  invariably  its  first  act  when  hooked 

is  to  leap  high  from  the  water ;  then  fol- 
T7^  u    ^^  ^^^^  ^  prolonged,  fast-fought  resistance 

sufficient  to  tax  the  skill  of  the  most  ex- 
pert angler.  The  rainbow  is  a  faster  fighter  than  the 
brown  trout,  its  quickness  of  movement  resembling  more 
the  action  of  the  native  trout.  The  writer,  however, 
has  cause  to  remember  his  first  rainbow  for  the  reason 
that  the  fish  did  not  leap — for  good  and  sufficient  rea- 
sons. Fishing  at  the  confluence  of  two  trout  streams  in 
very  fast  water  where  the  currents  of  the  two  streams 
struggled  for  mastery,  I  hooked  and  after  a  running 
fight  landed  about  a  hundred  yards  downstream  from 
that  point  a  double  consisting  of  a  three-quarter  pound 
rainbow  and  a  native  trout  of  one  pound  and  a  half. 
The  native  was  taken  on  the  end  fly,  a  coachman,  and 
the  rainbow  on  the  dropper,  a  Beaverkill.  In  this  case 
the  larger  trout  undoubtedly  forced  the  fighting  and 
held  down  the  rainbow  so  that  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  go  into  the  air.  Since  then  I  have  had  numerous 
opportunities  to  admire  the  leaping  and  other  sporting 
qualities  of  the  rainbow. 

As  to  the  distinctive  coloration  of  the  rainbow,  Will- 
iam C.  Harris  whose  writings,  both  as  a  practical  an- 
gler and  ichthyologist,  on  the  natural  history  of  game 


36        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

fish  are  authoritative  and  whom  I  have  quoted  above  in 
connection  with  the  brown  trout,  says: 
Coloration  **There  are  one  species  and  five  subspec- 
P  .   ,  ies  of  the  rainbows,  the  typical  form  being 

known  as  the  rainbow  or  Coast  Range 
trout  (Salmo  trideus,  specific  name  from  the  Latin,  *a 
rainbow').  It  is  a  large,  robust,  short,  and  deep  fish, 
growing  to  a  weight  of  thirteen  pounds  in  the  William- 
son River,  and  up  to  thirty  pounds  when  sea-run.  The 
head  is  short,  somewhat  convex,  and  ^obtusely  ridged 
above';  mouth  slightly  smaller  than  in  other  trout,  and 
the  eyes  are  somewhat  larger;  the  teeth  on  the  roof  of 
the  mouth  are  in  two  irregular  series;  the  tail  fin  is 
slightly  forked,  the  body,  sides,  and  ventral  fins  irregu- 
larly but  profusely  marked  with  black  spots,  those  on 
the  tail  being  smaller  than  those  on  the  body  and  on 
other  fins. 

"The  coloration  is  bluish  above  and  whitish  on  the 
sides,  which  also,  in  both  sexes,  have  a  broad  lateral 
band  with  reddish  blotches,  the  sea-run  specimens  being 
plain  silvery.  If  an  angler  chances  to  catch  a  rainbow 
in  Eastern  waters,  it  will  probably  be  where  the  East- 
ern brook  trout  is  also  found,  and  the  *  red-sides'  can  eas- 
ily be  distinguished  from  it  by  the  lateral  band,  more  or 
less  reddish,  always  on  the  sides  of  both  sexes,  and  by 
the  presence  of  numerous  black  irregular  spots  located 
on  the  body,  head,  and  fins;  those  on  the  caudal  fin 
being  somewhat  smaller  than  the  spots  elsewhere.  The 
brook  trout  {fontinalis)  has  red  spots;  the  rainbows  do 
not  have  them." 


BROWN   AND   RAINBOW   TROUT      37 

The  above  description  says  that  the  rainbow  is  a 
"deep"  fish,  and  that  the  "mouth  is  somewhat  smaller 
than  in  other  trout."  Deep,  here,  is  another  way  of 
saying  narrow — the  rainbow  is  very  thin  through  the 
body,  taking  a  half-pound  specimen  as  an  example — and 
it  should  be  said  also  that  the  mouth  is  noticeably 
smaller  than  that  of  either  the  brown  or  native.  While 
there  is  no  room  for  argument  as  to  the  fighting  quali- 
ties of  the  rainbow,  in  the  writer's  opinion  and  that  of 
many  other  anglers  the  rainbow  as  an  edible  fish  is  not 
equal  to  either  the  native  brook  or  brown  trout.  An- 
other noticeable  thing  about  the  rainbow  is  the  quick- 
ness with  which  the  coloration  fades  after  the  fish  is 
taken  from  the  water;  in  a  very  short  time  the  lateral 
band,  the  "rainbow,"  will  almost  entirely  disappear, 
leaving  only  a  faint  suggestion  of  its  natural  beauty. 

The  rainbow  is  a  very  free  riser  to  the  artificial  fly, 

apparently  less  discriminating  in  this  respect  than  either 

^     , ,  native  or  brown  trout.    Any  of  the  well- 

Tackle. 

known  fly  patterns  will  be  successful.    In 

general  the  tackle  advised  for  brown  trout  is  equally 

suitable    for   fly-fishing   for   rainbows.     The   rainbow 

always  seeks  the  swift  water,  grows  to  a  larger  size 

than  the  native  trout,  the  rate  of  growth  being  about 

the  same  as  that  of  the  brown  trout,  and  reasonably 

strong  and  efficient  tackle  is  always  best  for  heavy  fish 

in  heavy  water. 


CHAPTER  III 

FLY-FISHING  THE  MOUNTAIN  BROOK, 
THE  POOLS,  AND  STILL-WATERS 

QUITE  recently  at  the  Upper  Dam,  Rangeley 
Lakes,  Maine,  "the  place,  of  all  others  in  the 
world,  where  the  lunacy  of  angling  may  be 
seen  in  its  incurable  stage,"  a  genuine  brook  trout, 
fontinalisj  weighing  twelve  and  a  half  pounds  was  cap- 
tured. This  trout,  authenticated  beyond  doubt,  was 
not  taken  by  an  angler  but  by  some  hatchery  men  for 
spawning  purposes.  At  the  same  place,  in  the  fall  of 
1908,  a  brook  trout  scaling  nine  pounds  seven  ounces 
was  taken  on  the  fly  by  Mr.  Raymond  S.  Parrish,  of 
Montville,  Connecticut. 

Some  little  time  ago,  at  the  biennial  session  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  a  certain  State,  a  bill  came  up 
for  consideration  making  seven  inches  the  length  of 
trout  to  be  legally  retained.  Whereupon  the  Honor- 
able Member  from — but  that  might  identify  the  State 
— at  any  rate,  the  Honorable  Member  arose  and,  with 
tears  in  his  eyes,  protested  that  in  his  county,  although 
there  were  several  trout  streams,  many  trout,  and  a 
well-established  industry  devoted  to  their  capture,  there 

38 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      39 

was  not  at  that  time  in  that  county,  or  ever  had  been 
at  any  time  in  that  county,  a  trout  measuring  seven 
inches.  Wherefore  the  injustice  of  such  a  measure 
was  palpable,  etc.,  etc.     The  bill  did  not  pass. 

Trout  fishing  may  mean  one  thing  and  it  may  mean 
another.  It  is  a  fact  that  in  many  parts  of  Vermont, 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  other  States,  trout 
fishing  such  as  that  described  by  the  Honorable  Mem- 
ber is  the  rule  and  not  the  exception. 

Small  Stream  Fly-fishing 

Where  average  fishing  may  be  had  it  is  a  very  poor 

plan,  one  finely  calculated  to  spoil  sport,  to  fish  the 

small    mountain   streams.      These   little 

Do  not  Fisbbj-ooks  ^ct  as  "feeders''   for  the  larger 

Tj       ,  Streams    and    rivers.      In    the    fall    the 

trout  of  the  larger  streams  ascend 
these  little  brooks  to  spawn  and  the  little  trout 
remain  in  them  from  the  fry  to  the  fingerling 
stage  when  they  seek  the  deeper  and  more  ex- 
tensive streams.  "Skinning"  the  small  brooks  merely 
means  that  the  stock  in  the  larger  ones  will  surely  de- 
teriorate in  numbers  and  in  size,  and  eventually  poor 
fishing  or  none  at  all  will  be  the  rule. 

But  if  the  small  feeder  brooks  are  religiously  pro- 
tected, the  stocking  of  the  larger  streams  is  more  or 
less  automatic,  no  matter  how  hard  these  may  be  fished ; 
this  is  especially  true  where  the  feeder  brooks  are 
stocked  by  the  State  or  by  individuals.  It  is  manifestly 
futile  to  stock  the  small  brooks  and  at  the  same  time 
allow  them  to  be  fished.    And  stocking  is  most   success- 


40        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

ful  where  the  fry  or  fingerlings  are  planted  in  the 
tributary  brooks  where  they  are  free  from  the  large 
trout  and  the  generally  strenuous  life  of  the  river. 

But  where  little  brooks  and  small  mountain  trout 

are  the  rule  and  heavier  fishing  need  not  be  taken  into 

consideration,    fly-fishing    for    the    little 

Q*  charrs  of  the  mountain  streams  is  a  legit- 

^      *   imate   sport — and   not   a   half   bad   one. 

With  trout  fishing  as,  in  fact,  with  any  sport  of  the 

rod   and   gun,   particularly  in   these   days  when   light 

creels  and  hunting-coat  pockets  are  the  rule — the  law 

in  most  localities  jealously  looking  out  for  this — and 

the  camera  plays  so  important  a  part  in  field  sports, 

the  country  to  be  fished  or  hunted,  whether  attractive 

or  commonplace,  is  a  primary  consideration.     It  would 

be  difficult  to  find  a  more  pleasant  field  of  action  than 

that  afforded  by  the  typical  mountain  trout  stream. 

When  you  go  fishing  for  mountain  trout  you  seek  the 

country  of  the  ruffed  grouse,  the  woodcock,  the  gray 

squirrel,     and     the     white-tailed     deer; 

Where  the    ^yithal,   a  somewhat  strenuous  country. 

Mountain      po^o^jj^     ^h^  brook  you  pass  through 

Trout  Lives.   ,  .  .  /  , 

deep    ravines    strewn    with    green    and 

moss-grown  rocks,  steep,  slippery,  moist,  and  prolific 
of  mosquitoes,  tumbles,  tackle  smash-ups — and  trout. 
You  work  through  little  alder  swamps,  almost  impene- 
trable tangles  where  there  is  nothing  to  see  but  the 
work  ahead  and  nothing  to  do  but  do  it — and  catch 
trout.  But,  however  difficult  may  be  the  local  habita- 
tion of  the  mountain  trout,  it  is  sure  to  have  the  virtues 
of  picturesqueness  and  freedom  from  monotony  and  to 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      41 

offer  many  opportunities  for  the  camera  as  well  as  the 
rod. 

Working  quietly  along  the  little  stream  you  will 
sometimes  flush  a  "partridge"  and  will  often  hear  them 
drumming.  Later  in  the  spring  a  woodcock  will  per- 
haps get  up  within  rod's  length  of  you  and  whistle 
away  over  the  tops  of  the  alders.  Where  deer  are  at 
all  common  you  will  see  their  tracks  along  the  brook 
and,  if  you  are  at  all  lucky — and  quiet — you  may  even 
see  the  trail-makers.  Incidents  of  this  sort,  with  fair 
success  with  the  little  fly-rod,  will  surely  serve  to  make 
your  day  on  the  stream  a  pleasant  one.  In  such  streams 
a  trout  weighing  half  a  pound  Is  a  monster,  and  the 
average  is  considerably  less  than  that.  But  sport  with 
any  game  fish  is  largely  a  matter  of  the  tackle  used, 
and  presumably  you  will  use  light  tackle. 

The  little  trout  of  the  mountain  streams,  unless  in 

very  secluded  brooks  which  have  been  fished  little  or 

not  at  all,  are  not  In  the  least  foolish  or 

uca  ea     uneducated.     Anglers  are  wont  to  as- 
Trout.  .  ....  .  ,     , 

sociate   extreme  sophistication  with   the 

two-pounders  of  the  big  rivers.  When  considering  the 
typical  mountain  trout  It  Is  well  to  remember  that  with 
them  size  is  small  indication  of  age  or  degree  of  educa- 
tion. The  size  of  brook  trout  is  a  matter  of  range  ex- 
tent and  food  supply,  and  the  trout  of  the  little  brooks 
of  the  hill  country  are  small  because  the  food  supply  is 
limited,  the  "swim"  is  limited,  and  the  little  fellows 
have  to  work  hard  for  a  living.  So  the  elght-Incher  of 
the  narrow,  shallow,  and  rapid  mountain  stream  may 
be  as  highly  educated  as  the  two-pound  brown  trout 


42         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

which,  in  a  more  extensive  stream,  rises  only  to  the  fly 
cast  "dry  and  cocked."  At  any  rate,  if  you  find  a  well- 
worn  angler's  path  along  the  little  stream  you  will  have 
to  use  some  finesse  and  no  little  patience  and  ingenuity 
to  make  a  very  heavy  showing. 

Fly-fishing    for    mountain    trout    has    its   technique 

equally  with  the  sport  on  larger  streams  and  weightier 

fish.     The  primary  essential  for  success 

Mountain     ^^^  ^^^^^  .3  j-gj^^  tackle— the  very  light- 

otream  rly-  ^.  .      ,  .   , 

rp     ,  ,  est.     J^ly-castmg  m  any  true  sense  or  the 

words  is  out  of  the  question  because  of 
the  confined  and  brushy  nature  of  the  stream.  So  the 
tackle  need  not  be  selected  with  a  view  to  casting  any 
considerable  distance;  this  permits  the  use,  since  weight 
is  unnecessary,  of  a  small  caliber  line.  An  enameled 
line,  size  G,  is  exactly  the  thing.  This  may  properly 
be  used  on  a  little  four-ounce  fly-rod  eight  feet  in 
length  or  thereabouts.  A  very  small  single-action  reel, 
the  smaller  the  better,  should  be  used,  since  it  will  not 
foul  in  the  brush  as  often  as  a  larger  one. 

A  very  good  plan  is  to  wind  on  an  additional  guide 
between  each  pair  of  guides  on  the  rod  when  much 
brush  fishing  is  to  be  done.  This  will  keep  the  line 
close  to  the  rod  at  every  point  and  there  will  not  be 
loops  of  slack  to  become  fouled  continually  in  the  brush. 
The  thing  to  aim  for  in  the  entire  outfit  is  the  elimina- 
tion of  loose  ends.  The  leader  should  be  short  and  fine, 
so  that  the  flics  may  be  reeled  in  close  to  the  rod  tip 
when  landing  a  trout  through  the  brush. 

Under  normal  conditions  flies  and  bait  are  about 
equally  successful  for  small  brook  fishing.    While  it  is 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      43 

a  fact  that  real  fly-fishing  or  rather  fly-casting,  is  pre- 
cluded by  the  nature  of  the  stream,  still  the  mountain 
brook  is  no  place  for  the  duffer  with  a  fly-rod.  Indeed, 
a  small  stream  of  this  sort  requires  a  deftness,  skill, 
and  versatility  of  expedients  in  handling  rod,  line,  and 
flies  that  is  unknown  on  the  larger  streams  in  the  open 
where  free  casting  is  the  rule.  The  problem  is  to  get 
the  flies  out  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  without  casting 
in  the  usual  manner,  and  it  is  not  always  an  easy  one. 

Small  flies  of  modest  colors  are  best,  such  as  the 
coachman,  cowdung,  Cahill,  Beaverkill,  and  other  gray 
and  brown  winged  flies,  and  also  the  various  hackles. 
The  smallest  sizes  should  be  used,  tens  and  twelves, 
and  even  at  times  the  midge  flies.  More  than  two 
flies  should  never  be  used,  and  one  is  better.  As  a 
matter  of  fact  it  is  seldom  that  more  than  one  fly  can 
be  laid  on  the  water  and  fished  properly,  owing  to  the 
difficulty  of  casting  and  the  smallness  of  the  stream, 
and  two  flies,  also,  are  just  twice  as  apt  to  get  fouled 
as  one.  If  two  are  used  they  should  be  attached  to  the 
leader  quite  close  together  so  that  both  may  be  fished 
at  the  same  time  in  the  smallest  pools. 

The  angler  will  save  himself  much  trouble  and  an- 
noyance by  forgetting  to  bring  a  landing  net.  The  use 
of  a  net  on  small  trout  is  at  best  of  questionable  pro- 
priety or  necessity — something  like  using  a  ten-gauge 
on  rail — and  on  the  brushy  mountain  stream  it  is  the 
most  versatile  trouble  maker  you  can  have  along.  A 
very  playful  little  trick  of  the  net  fitted  with  an  elastic 
cord  is  to  catch  on  a  branch,  stay  behind  you  to  the  elas- 
tic limit  of  the  cord  when  you  move  along,  then  break 


44         THE    FINE   ART    OF    FISHING 

loose  and  snap  forward  into  the  small  of  your  back 

with   considerable   velocity   and   no  little  penetration. 

The  smashing  effect,  however,  is  usually  upon  the  net 

ultimately.    Instead  of  the  net  carry  a  little  pocket-axe  ; 

it  is  far  more  useful. 

Possibly  the  greatest  factor  for  success  in  this  sort^ 

of  fishing  is  the  faculty  of  going  slowly,  never  hurry- 

^     ^  ing  by  places  which  look  a  little  difficult 

•niT^fi.^^^      to  fish  and  consequently  have  probably 

Methods.     ,  1,1,  ,  , 

been    neglected    by    other    anglers,    and 

carefully  fishing  out  all  fishable  water.  Here  and 
there,  in  little  clearings  and  where  the  stream  widens 
out,  you  can  make  short  casts  in  the  usual  manner;  in 
other  places  the  flies  may  be  got  out  by  simply  swing- 
ing them  over  the  water  as  you  would  cast  a  "a  garden 
hackle."  Often  the  only  way  of  getting  out  the  flies 
is  to  make  a  "snap  cast,"  using  a  line  about  the  length 
of  your  rod,  grasping  the  end  fly  between  the  thumb 
and  forefinger  of  the  left  hand,  pulling  straight  back  so 
as  to  get  a  good  bend  in  the  rod,  and  then  releasing  the 
line — always  avoiding  the  possibility  of  hooking  your- 
self in  the  fingers.  In  this  manner  very  accurate  casts 
may  be  made  after  a  little  practice. 

When  a  trout  is  hooked,  if  the  banks  are  so  brushy 
that  you  cannot  beach  him  or  swing — not  throw — him 
out,  the  fish  should  be  slowly  reeled  in  up  to  the  leader- 
knot,  taking  pains  not  to  reel  this  knot  through  the  tip 
guide  and  thus  fouling  the  line,  and  then  brought 
in  through  the  brush  by  pulling  the  rod  toward  you 
down  low.  Many  trout  will  be  lost  by  attempting  to 
land  them  in  this  way  and  it  should  only  be  used  as  2, 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      45 

last  resort  in  the  worst  and  most  brushy  places.  Move 
slowly  and  quietly,  keep  as  far  back  from  the  brook 
as  possible  without  using  too  long  a  line  and  thus 
inviting  disaster,  and  use  deliberation  in  the  choice  of 
methods  for  the  various  little  pools,  falls,  and  riffles. 
The  first  cast  is  the  one  that  counts. 

When  brush  fishing  a  good  point  to  remember  is 
not  to  strike  upward  but  backward  or  toward  you. 
If  you  strike  upward  a  miss  always  means  a  hang-up, 
but  if  you  strike  by  quickly  moving  the  rod  toward 
you  and  keeping  it  low  down,  this  will  happen  far  less 
frequently.  An  effective  method  is  to  strike  not  with 
the  rod  but  by  quickly  pulling  in  the  line  through  the 
guides  with  the  left  hand.  The  two-handed  fly-caster 
who  habitually  uses  the  slack-line  cast  becomes  very 
expert  at  striking  small  trout  in  brushy  streams  in  this 
manner. 

As  a  general  thing  you  will  not  often  find  trout 

much  over  a  quarter  of  a  pound  in  the  average  small 

mountain   stream;   but   conditions   vary 

xceptiona    ^^j   occasionally  you  will   take  or  see 

otreams.         ,  ...  , 

taken     trout     weighing     a     pound     or 

more.     Many  small  brooks,  although  not  very  wide, 

may  be  comparatively  deep.     Those  flowing  through 

meadow  lands  and  with  sandy  or  muddy  bottoms  are 

apt  to  be  of  this  sort;  possibly  the  brook  may  not  be 

over  six  feet  wide,  but  there  will  be  many  places  where 

the  depth  is  from  three  to  five  feet  with  fine  trout 

shelters  hollowed  out  beneath  the  banks. 

There  is  a  brook  of  this  sort,  well-known  to  the 

writer,  which  flows  partly  in  Connecticut  and  partly 


46         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

in  Massachusetts.  Its  average  width  is  not  over  five 
feet  and  the  stream  bed  is  black  mud.  Mostly  it  flows 
through  an  alder  swamp,  with  here  and  there  a  very 
little  open  fishing  in  old  slashings.  Anglers  who  have 
**sand"  enough  to  fish  this  brook  through  the  swamp — 
football  is  child's  play  in  comparison — show  baskets  of 
trout  that  would  drive  the  average  angler  crazy. 
Many  times  the  creels  show  from  a  dozen  to  twenty 
trout,  not  a  single  one  less  than  a  pound,  and  running 
from  that  up  to  two  pounds  and  a  half.  This  is  not 
a  fish  story  alleged  but  one  experienced. 

In  view  of  this  it  is  a  good  plan  to  find  out  from 
local  anglers  whether  the  stream  you  are  to  fish  has  a 
reputation  for  an  occasional  large  trout  and  outfit  ac- 
cordingly. It  is  rather  disconcerting,  to  say  the  least, 
when  you  are  sure  that  a  quarter  of  a  pound  is  the 
limit  for  the  stream,  to  have  a  pound  fish  roll  up  to 
your  flies — and  a  rattled  fisherman  means  a  lost  fish. 

Fishing  the  Pools  and  Still-waters 

Although  fly-casting  consists  for  the  most  part  of 

fast-water  fishing,  yet  in  nearly  every  stream  there  are 

many  deep,  still  pools  and  often  long 

The  Brook  reaches  of  still-water  wherein  are  resident 

Vi^u^  ^1  *^  the  very  largest  trout  of  the  river.  Aris- 
%^tiii-waters«  ,         ,    .       ...  i     i   • 

tocratic    seclusion    is    theirs,    and    their 

rule  IS  absolute.  Quietly  the  activities  of  the  pool  go 
on  about  them.  At  times  a  muskrat  or  mink  stems 
silently  the  still  surface  of  the  waters.  Nervous  king- 
fishers perch  momentarily  on  overhanging  branches 
and  then,  rattling,  seek  other  vantage  points.     Insect 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      47 

life  is  abundant  about  the  pool,  from  brilliant  butter- 
flies to  invisible  midges.  At  times  a  kindergarten  of 
foolish  minnows  ventures  into  the  sacred  precincts; 
scattered,  with  some  lost  and  many  wounded,  they  dart 
away  before  the  onslaught  of  the  weighty  residents. 
Thus  living  at  ease,  with  much  good  eating  which 
comes  to  them  quite  independently  of  effort  on  their 
part,  serene  in  the  knowledge  of  their  superior  strength 
and  size,  the  brook  trout  of  the  still-waters  wax  ever 
mightier  and,  from  the  angler's  viewpoint,  more  de- 
sirable. 

Dark-skinned  fish,  these,  from  long  residence  in 
deep  water  well  shaded,  and  in  shape  chunky  and  full- 
bellied.  Dignified  and  deliberate  of  mien  are  they  and 
of  temperament  highly  suspicious,  for  the  reward  of 
the  easy  life  of  the  pool  is  won  by  those  individuals 
only  who  are  best  fitted  to  survive.  Once  they  too 
free-lanced  in  the  riffles  and  rapids  with  others  of 
their  kind,  seeking  daily  sustenance  at  the  risk  of  divers 
sudden  deaths.  In  time,  however,  they  assumed  for- 
midable proportions  and  became  themselves  the  lords 
of  the  stream.  To  this  distinction  they  arrived  only 
by  exceptionally  good  fortune  and  unusual  self -pro- 
tective abilities.  It  would  seem,  then,  that  the  angler 
who  would  successfully  match  his  skill  against  the 
sagacity  of  these  veterans  must  depend  largely  upon 
strategy  and  the  ability  to  suit  tackle  to  occasion. 

In  the  riffles  and  rapids  no  extraordinary  skill  is 
needed  to  lend  life-like  motion  to  the  flies.  Once  the 
cast  is  made  and  the  flies  have  alighted  upon  the  water 
in  the  desired  spot,  they  are  caught  by  the  eddies  and 


48         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

drifted  here  and  there  in  almost  exact  imitation  of  half- 
drowned,  struggling  insects.    In  the  still- 
Casting       waters  it  is  different.     Here  life  must  be 
Over  Pools,   imparted  to  the  flies  by  skilful  handling 
of   rod   and  line;   and,   too,   more  care 
must  be  taken  in  the  actual  casting,  that  is,  the  flies 
must  be  dropped  upon  the  water  with  all  possible  gen- 
tleness.    A  cast  which  in  all  probability  would  be  a 
successful  one  in  broken  water  might  cause  the  flies 
to  impact  on  the  glassy  surface  of  the  pool  with  a 
splash  quite  sufficient  to  prevent  any  hope  of  a  rise  in 
the  immediate  vicinity. 

The  primary  necessity  for  a  successful  cast  over  quiet 
water  is  that  it  be  made  gently.  Then  comes  the  ne- 
cessity of  so  handling  the  tackle  that  the  line  shall  not 
become  slack;  that  the  flies  shall  stay  well  up  on  the 
surface  and  appear  alive ;  and  that  immediate  advantage 
may  be  taken  of  a  strike.  Here  again  working  the  line 
with  the  left  hand,  stripping  it  through  the  guides, 
solves  the  problem.  In  this  way  the  flies  are  under  full 
control.  Also  your  rod  need  not  be  raised  much  from 
a  line  parallel  with  the  water,  and  when,  as  sometimes 
happens,  a  fish  rises  when  the  flies  are  close  to  you,  the 
rod  is  in  a  position  to  handle  the  strike — which  is  not 
the  case  when  it  is  pointing  to  the  exact  center  of  the 
high  heavens. 

As  a  rule  the  brook  trout  of  the  still-waters  strikes 

slowly,  in  a  manner  quite  different  from  the  voracious 

,  dash  of  his  brothers  of  the  rapids.    Leis- 

^'       urely  he  rises  to  the  surface  and  sucks 

in  the  fly,  natural  or  artificial,  and  with  equal  delibera- 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      49 

tion  returns  to  his  laii.  It  is  necessary  to  strike  at  the 
psychological  moment.  The  tendency  is  to  strike  too 
quickly,  a  better  fault  than  to  strike  too  late.  If  the 
rise  is  missed,  it  is  well  not  to  re-cast  immediately,  but 
to  rest  the  pool  for  a  few  moments,  a  matter,  by  the 
way,  requiring  no  little  self-restraint  in  case  the  rising 
fish  is  a  large  one. 

Should  the  pool  be  a  small  one  it  is  probable  that 
one  trout  only  is  resident.  But  if  the  pool  is  spacious, 
with  many  submerged  logs  and  rocks, 
T^^^^*^  ^  with  shady  caves  beneath  overhanging 
^*  banks,  or  other  ambushes  beloved  by 
trout,  it  is  quite  probable  that  several  fish  are  located 
there.  If  you  would  land  more  than  one  of  them  you 
must  be  careful  to  land  that  one  quietly  and  with  the 
least  possible  disturbance.  Restrict  his  play  to  the  limit 
of  tackle  safety  and  beach  or  net  him  without  noise. 
If  you  are  successful  in  this  the  pool  may  yield  a  brace 
or  two  of  good  fish.  At  times  casting  from  the  head  of 
the  pool  raises  no  fish,  but  if  you  go  around  and  cast 
from  below  you  will  often  cause  one  to  change  his 
mind.  Every  pool  is  best  fished  from  both  above  and 
below. 

In  the  matter  of  flies  the  residents  of  the  pool  are 
discriminating  in  the  highest  degree.  Day  and  night 
myriads  of  insects  swarm  over  the  still 
waters.  Grasshoppers  and  crickets  sui- 
cide continually  from  the  bank ;  grubs  drop  down  from 
the  trees;  the  riffles  and  rapids  deposit  a  varied  menu 
in  the  temporary,  resting  place  of  the  pool.  As  a  con- 
sequence of  this  glut  of  good  things  the  fish  are  apt  to 


50         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

be  reluctant  in  rising  and  must  be  skilfully  teased.  The 
taking  qualities  of  the  sunken  and  dry-fly  should  not 
be  forgotten  as  successful  variations  of  the  orthodox 
method  of  casting.  The  dry-fly,  although  not  suitable 
for  fast  water,  can  often  be  used  to  advantage  when 
fishing  the  pool.  Also  patience  and  still  more  patience 
IS  necessary  when  trying  conclusions  with  the  wise 
ones  of  the  quiet  water. 

Taught  in  the  school  of  experience  the  danger  of 
strange  insects,  in  the  daytime  the  residents  of  the  pool 

are  wary  when  the  silk  and  feathered 
rylignt  imitations  flutter  over  the  water.  But 
^'  at  dusk  and  in  the  moonlight  this 
natural  shyness  seems  to  depart  in  some  degree  and  such 
times  are  propitious  ones  for  the  fly-caster.  In  a  way 
this  seems  to  be  taking  an  unfair  advantage  over  the 
fish  and,  too,  the  trout  do  not  fight  as  strongly  under 
these  conditions.  However,  if  it  is  a  case  of  night  fish- 
ing or  bacon  for  breakfast,  the  sporting  ethics  of  the 
matter  may  properly  be  disregarded.  Although  sub- 
versive of  the  general  axiom  of  light  flies  for  dark  days 
and  dark  ones  for  light  days,  it  is  a  fact  that  in  night 
fishing  a  soberly  colored  fly  is  sometimes  more  taking 
than  one  lighter  in  coloration.  If  the  white  miller  fails 
to  attract,  try  the  black  gnat. 

The  angler  who  customarily  fishes  a  stream  wherein 
there  are  many  wide  pools  likely  to  harbor  large  trout 

should  select  his  outfit  with  the  greatest 
^     -  care,  with  a  view  to  fishing  for  the  larger 

trout  and  allowing  the  small  fry  to  stay 
in  the  water.    In  other  words,  the  angler  should  make 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      51 

the  big  trout  the  chief  object  of  the  day's  fishing  and 
not  have  his  tackle  suited  only  to  small  fish.  One 
reason  why  the  "big  one"  so  often  gets  away  is  because 
trout  fishing  to  many  anglers  means  merely  the  taking 
of  numerous  young  fish  little  better  than  fingerlings 
and  when  a  trout  of  good  fighting  size  takes  hold  of 
the  tackle  he  easily  tears  it  apart.  Of  course,  if  the 
chance  of  striking  a  really  good  fish  is  very  remote,  as 
when  fishing  the  smallest  streams,  it  is  best  to  use  the 
very  lightest  tackle,  for  therein  lies  the  sport  of  taking 
the  smaller  trout. 

Strong  tackle,  suited  to  fairly  large  trout,  is  far  from 
implying  coarse  tackle.  Coarse  tackle  in  trout  fishing 
is  of  almost  no  use  save  on  very  exceptional  occasions. 
The  brook  trout  is  by  nature  one  of  the  wariest  of 
game  fish  and  in  most  localities  has  in  addition  a  very 
thorough  education  in  angling  affairs.  Strong  tackle 
IS  not  necessarily  coarse,  but  to  obtain  it  of  a  quality 
good  enough  to  embody  both  strength  and  fineness  as 
regards  caliber  and  material  it  is  necessary  to  use  judg- 
ment in  its  selection  and  to  pay  the  price.  It  may  be 
noted  here,  although  not  enlarged  upon,  that  coarse 
tackle  is  not  always  strong  tackle.  The  distinction 
between  tackle  too  coarse  and  that  which  is  suitable, 
although  easily  recognized  in  concrete  cases  by  both 
fish  and  fishermen,  is  difficult  to  set  down  in  so  many 
words.  Frequently  it  may  be  a  matter  of  inch-thou- 
sandths and  the  micrometer  caliper. 


52        THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 
Dry-fly  Fishing 

It  IS  in  connection  with  pool  and  still-water  fishing 
that  the  use  of  the  dry-fly  can  most  appropriately  be 
considered.  It  is  not  at  all  probable  that  dry-fly  fishing 
will  ever  reach  in  this  country  the  popularity  it  has 
attained  in  England;  the  average  of  stream  conditions 
is  against  it.  Fishing  with  the  dry-fly  is  by  no  means 
a  new  thing  and  a  few  American  anglers  have  practiced 
it  for  a  good  many  years.  Recently,  however,  much 
greater  interest  has  been  taken  in  the  subject  than 
formerly  and  for  that  reason  it  seems  best  to  include 
here  a  brief  description  of  the  dry-fly  caster's  methods. 

The  following  notes  on  dry-fly  fishing — which  the 
present  writer  could  not  hope  to  equal  in  comprehen- 
siveness, clearness,  and  brevity — ^were  written  by  Mr. 
Alfred  Herbert,  of  Kenilworth,  England,  and  pub- 
lished in  Forest  and  Stream  for  June  15,  1907.  In  the 
opinion  of  the  writer  it  is  the  very  best  short  descrip- 
tion of  dry-fly  methods  ever  printed,  and  for  that 
reason  I  take  the  liberty  of  quoting,  in  part,  as  follows : 

*'In  this  style  of  fishing  we  invariably  fish  up  stream, 
and  in  our  clear  waters  here  we  are  able  to  see  the  trout 
distinctly.  The  angler  looks  out  for  a  fish  which  is 
actually  rising  and  feeding  on  the  natural  floating 
insect.  This,  of  course,  only  happens  when  there  is  a 
rise  of  flies  on  the  water.  On  some  days  there  will  be 
very  little,  if  any,  rise  of  insects,  and  consequently  very 
few  fish  to  be  caught;  at  other  times,  in  favorable 
weather,  rises  may  be  more  or  less  continuous  during 
the  day,  but  the  best  part  of  the  rise  usually  concentrates 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      53 

Itself  into  short  periods,  the  best  time  being  generally 
between  eleven  and  three  o^clock  in  the  spring,  while 
later  in  the  year  there  is  often  a  good  evening  rise  after 
sundown,  if  the  weather  is  warm  and  the  atmosphere 
free  from  mist. 

*^When  a  feeding  fish  is  seen,  the  angler's  object  is 
to  get  as  near  to  him  from  below  as  possible  without 
scaring  the  fish.  This  necessitates  a  good  deal  of 
progression  after  the  manner  of  the  serpent,  it  being 
essential  above  all  things  to  keep  low.  The  fly  chosen 
should  be  as  near  as  possible  a  reproduction  of  the 
natural  insect  on  the  water.  The  line,  which  is  of 
plaited  silk,  dressed  in  linseed  oil  under  the  air  pump, 
is  carefully  greased,  preferably  with  red  deer  fat,  but 
vaseline  or  hard  mutton  suet  answers  equally  well. 
The  object  of  greasing  the  line  is  to  insure  that  it  shall 
float  lightly  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  If  not  greased 
— no  matter  how  well  it  may  be  dressed — it  soon  tends 
to  be  waterlogged,  and  in  this  condition  sinks  below  the 
surface  of  the  water  when  drawn  in,  dragging  the  fly 
with  it  under  the  water  and  thus  soaking  the  latter. 

"The  line  we  use  here  is  generally  fairly  heavy  and 
preferably  tapers  to  a  fine  point.  Only  one  fly  is  used 
in  this  style  of  fishing.  The  fly  itself  is  lightly  touched 
with  a  spot  of  odorless  paraffin  from  the  small  bottle 
which  is  carried  on  one's  waistcoat  button.  After 
anointing  the  fly  with  paraffin,  I  find  it  well  to  absorb 
the  excess  paraffin  on  a  dry  handkerchief;  then  by 
making  a  few  false  casts  in  the  air  the  fly  is  further 
dried,  and  nothing  but  a  minute  suspicion  of  paraffin 
remains  on  the  fly;  otherwise  any  excess  of  the  paraffin 


54        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

forms  a  film  on  the  water,  which  is  distinctly  and  detri- 
mentally visible  to  the  fish. 

"Having  now  got  within  easy  range  of  the  rising 
fish,  the  angler's  object  is  to  drop  the  fly  about  two  or 
three  feet  above  him,  so  that  it  shall  come  down  in  a 
natural  position,  with  its  wings  erect  (or  *cocked,'  as  we 
call  it).  It  should  fall  on  the  water  quite  lightly,  and 
the  least  splash  of  the  line  is  fatal,  the  fish  in  these 
waters  apparently  having  eyes  all  over  as  well  as  in 
their  heads.  It  is  important  that  the  fly  should  travel 
at  precisely  the  same  pace  as  other  natural  flies  which 
are  floating  freely  on  the  water,  otherwise  a  ripple  or 
drag  is  set  up,  and  our  fish  will  not  look  at  a  fly  which 
has  the  slightest  suspicion  of  drag. 

"Drag  is  very  difficult  to  overcome  under  some  con- 
ditions; it  is  caused  by  the  stream  running  faster  in 
some  parts  than  in  others ;  for  instance,  if  one  is  casting 
across  a  river,  and  the  water  in  the  center  is  running 
faster  than  at  the  side  on  which  the  fly  falls, 
the  pull  of  the  current  on  the  line  tends  to  draw  the  fly 
faster  than  the  water  around  it,  and  this  sets  up  *posi- 
tive  drag.'  If,  on  the  other  hand,  owing  to  the  con- 
formation of  the  stream,  the  water  is  running  more 
rapidly  at  the  side  where  the  fly  falls  than  it  is  in  the 
center  where  the  line  falls,  then  the  line  will  hold 
back  the  fly  and  set  up  drag  of  another  kind — 'negative 
drag.' 

"If  all  these  various  difficulties  are  overcome,  and  if 
the  fly  happens  to  appeal  to  the  fish  as  a  suitable  morsel, 
it  is  taken,  often  with  a  great  show  of  confidence.  The 
subsequent  proceedings  are  exciting,  but  are,  of  course, 


BROOKS,    POOLS,    STILL-WATERS      55 

quite  familiar.  .  .  .  The  conditions  that  are 
most  favorable  to  dry-fly  fishing  are,  first  of  all,  that  the 
surface  of  the  water  should  be  smooth  enough  to  enable 
the  fly  to  float  and  to  enable  the  angler  to  see  it;  sec- 
ondly, that  the  fish  be  actually  feeding,  obviously  on 
some  floating  insect.  Under  these  conditions  I  believe 
the  dry-fly  will  kill  fish  on  any  river;  but  of  course  in 
rapid  streams,  where  the  surface  is  broken  up  by  rocks 
and  the  current  is  strong,  the  conditions  are  undoubt- 
edly entirely  against  the  dry-fly  fisherman. 

"The  great  attraction  of  dry-fly  fishing  is  the  actual 
seeing  of  the  individual  fish,  the  stalking  for  him,  and 
his  ultimate  capture;  in  fact,  you  see  the  whole  per- 
formance and  fish  consciously  for  one  individual  trout, 
whereas  in  the  wet-fly  system  (which,  of  course,  is  also 
largely  used  in  England),  one  casts  simply  into  a  likely 
piece  of  water  and  hopes  for  the  best.      .      .      . " 

In  addition  to  the  above  it  remains  only  to  be  said 
that  to  use  the  dry-fly  method  it  is  not  absolutely  imper- 
ative to  cast  to  a  visibly  rising  fish,  for  if  he  chooses  the 
angler  may  fish  all  the  water  as  in  wet-fly  fishing.  It 
should  also  be  noted  that  while  the  majority  of  dry-flies 
used  in  England  are  close  imitations  of  the  insect  life 
of  the  streams  other  flies  which  are  sometimes  used 
successfully  are  not  exact  imitations  but  rather  of  the 
sort  known  as  "fancy." 


CHAPTER  IV 
FLY-CASTING  AND  FLY-FISHING 

IT  IS  quite  possible  for  an  angler  to  take  a  good 
many  brook  trout  without  being  an  expert  fly-cas- 
ter. Mere  mechanical  proficiency  in  casting  Is  by 
no  means  the  most  Important  factor  In  resultful  fly- 
fishing. A  good  many  other  things,  such  as  knowledge 
of  trout  haunts  and  habits  and  what  is  fishable  water, 
have  weight  In  deciding  the  success  or  non-success  of 
the  angler's  day  on  the  stream. 

But  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  fly-casting  is  not 
all  of  fly-fishing,  it  is  very  well  for  the  angler  to  be 
able  to  cast  better  than  the  other  fellow;  given  two 
anglers  of  equal  stream  experience  and  like  knowledge 
of  brook  trout  characteristics,  the  better  caster  will 
assuredly  make  the  better  showing.  The  very  poor 
caster,  too,  no  matter  how  wise  he  may  be  in  general 
angling  affairs,  will  certainly  offset  his  superior  theoreti- 
cal knowledge  by  his  awkwardness  in  practical  fishing. 
Also,  apart  from  the  application  of  fly-casting  to  fly- 
fishing, it  is  a  fact  that  mere  fly-casting  is  good  sport — 
witness  the  popularity  of  tournament  casting.  The  man 
who  has  acquired  some  cxpertness  in  casting  the  fly 
gets  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  from  this  alone. 

56 


FLY-CASTING   AND    FLY-FISHING     57 

Most  of  the  written  treatises  in  books  and  magazines 
on  how  to  cast  with  the  fly-rod,  while  as  a  whole  cor- 
rect, fail  somewhat  in  their  purpose  because  the  authors, 
in  treating  the  entire  subject  of  rod  handling,  do  not 
place  sufficient  emphasis  on  certain  particular  phases 
of  the  matter.  Good  fly-casting  is  dependent  upon 
close  attention  to  a  number  of  individual  details,  some 
more  important  than  others,  but  each  of  such  import- 
ance that  if  any  one  of  them  is  neglected  the  results 
are  not  of  the  best.  With  long  practice  observance  of 
these  details  becomes  automatic,  but  the  beginner  must 
keep  them  firmly  fixed  in  his  mind.  The  following  is 
not  an  attempt  to  teach  fly-casting,  but  merely  to  em- 
phasize certain  details  which,  at  first  glance,  may  have 
seemed  inconsiderable  and  consequently  may  not  have 
been  strictly  observed. 

How  to  Improve  Your  Fly-casting 

In  the  first  place  let  us  consider  the  apparently  unim- 
portant question  of  how  to  hold  the  rod,  i.e.,  the  posi- 
tion of  the  rod  hand  on  the  handgrasp.  Nine  out  of 
ten  beginners  at  fly-casting  would  say  immediately  that, 
provided  the  caster  does  not  drop  the  rod,  the  method 
of  holding  is  immaterial.  Now  the  veteran  fly-caster 
and  the  books  on  fly-fishing  will  tell  you  that  the  proper 
way  to  hold  the  rod  is  to  have  the  thumb  of  the  rod 
hand  extended  along  the  upper  surface  of  the  handgrasp 
and  not  bent  around  it.  There  must  be  some  reason 
for  this  opinion  and  advice  of  the  experts,  and  there  is 
a  very  good  one.    In  fact,  there  are  two  reasons. 


58         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

Good  fly-casting,  whether  considered  from  the  stand- 
point of  accuracy,  delicacy,  or  distance,  depends  on 
getting  your  wrist  into  the  cast.  If  you  make  it  a  prac- 
tice to  grasp  the  rod  as  above  indicated,  with  the  thumb 
lying  straight  along  the  top  of  the  handgrasp ,  you  will 
soon  find  that  you  are  getting  your  wrist  into  the  cast 
to  a  much  greater  extent  than  ever  before.  And  when 
you  once  find  out  what  a  great  difference  this  makes, 
you  will  know  why,  perhaps,  j^our  casting  theretofore 
has  not  been  eminently  satisfactory  or  proficient. 

If  you  cast  practically  at  arm's  length,  as  you  will 

often  see  done,   delivering  the  line  with   a  sweeping 

motion  of  the  entire  arm  from  the  shoul- 

Caffin  ^^"^  der,  of  what  use  to  you  is  a  finely  con- 
^*  structed  fly-rod,  made  especially  with  a 
view  to  the  utmost  speed  and  resilience?  Straight-arm 
casting  fails  entirely  in  putting  the  rod  itself  to  work; 
the  arm  motion  does  it  all — and  very  poorly.  But  once 
get  the  wrist  Into  the  cast  and  you  will  find  the  rod, 
if  it  Is  a  good  one,  bending  from  handgrasp  to  tip-end 
and,  as  a  result,  the  line  jumping  away  as  If  sent  for. 

Again,  this  method  of  holding  the  rod  results  in  a 
greater  ability  to  cast  accurately.  The  rod  is  under 
perfect  control  and  the  direction  of  the 
An  Aid  to  ^^gj.^  under  favorable  conditions,  will 
deviate  very  slightly  from  the  point  aimed 
for.  Target  shooting  with  a  rifle  and  casting  with  a  fly- 
rod  are  similar  in  that  both,  quite  naturally,  require  aim. 
With  the  thumb  pointing  along  the  handgrasp  proper 
initial  aim  is  instinctive  and  the  rod  is  guided  in  the 
right  direction  throughout  the  cast. 


FLY-CASTING   AND   FLY-FISHING     59 

Another  very  important  point  Is  not  to  carry  the  rod 

too  far  back  on  the  back  cast.    This  fault  simply  means 

that  too  long  a  time  will  elapse  between 

The  Back     ^j^^  forward  and  back  casts  and  that  the 

line  will  become  dead  In  the  rear  of  the 

caster.    On  the  back  cast  the  rod  should  go  but  slightly 

beyond  the  perpendicular;  this  will  keep  the  line  high 

In  the  air — the  object  to  be  attained — ^where  it  will 

respond  at  once  to  a  correctly  timed  forward  cast.    The 

line  must  be  kept  alive  throughout  the  period  covered 

by  the  forward  and  back  casts,  and  nothing  Is  more  apt 

to  kill  a  cast  than  letting  the  rod  go  too  far  back.    You 

will  occasionally  s^e  fly-casters  carry  the  rod  so  far  to 

the  rear  that  the  line  actually  falls  on  the  water  behind 

them. 

Try  to  get  a  high  back  cast.  When  the  tip  of  the 
rod,  In  the  arc  described  by  the  rod  In  the  back  cast, 
reaches  a  point  just  over  your  head,  stop  the  rod;  the 
momentum  and  bend  of  the  rod  will  then  carry  it  to 
just  about  the  right  position  for  starting  the  forward 
cast. 

And  now  about  starting  the  forward  and  back  casts : 

the  chief  mistake  made  by  beginners  in  starting  the 

back   cast   Is   In   starting   It   too   easily. 

Timing  the  y^^^^  ^^^^    Uf^  ^^^  y^^^  ^^^^  ^^le  water 

Casts.  . 

with  a  strong,  snappy,  backward  wrist 

motion,  so  that  It  will  have  sufficient  speed  to  straighten 

out  behind  you  before  beginning  to  fall  toward   the 

water.    This,  too,  will  help  In  attaining  the  high  back 

cast  mentioned  above.     Do  not  delay  starting  the  back 


6o        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

cast  too  long;  begin  it  when  the  flies  are  well  away 
from  you. 

In  the  paragraph  above  I  have  suggested  waiting 
for  the  line  to  straighten  out  behind  the  caster  on  the 
back  cast,  that  is,  before  beginning  the  forward  cast. 
Instantaneous  photographs  of  expert  casters,  however, 
show  that  in  actual  practice  the  line  does  not  entirely 
straighten  out  in  the  rear  before  the  forward  cast  is 
started ;  that,  in  fact,  there  is  a  considerable  loop  at  the 
end  of  the  line  which  straightens  out  just  after  the 
caster  begins  the  forward  cast.  The  theory  of  this  is 
quite  plain.  If,  when  casting  a  rather  long  line,  you 
wait  until  the  line  becomes  quite  straight  behind  you, 
you  wait  just  long  enough  for  the  line  to  lose  its  life. 
The  forward  cast,  then,  should  be  started  when  the  line, 
having  passed  to  the  rear  of  the  caster,  first  begins  to 
pull  appreciably  on  the  rod. 

On  the  other  hand,  do  not  start  the  forward  cast  too 
quickly,  because  this  is  liable  to  snap  off  the  end  fly. 
Correct  timing  of  the  forward  cast  is  one  of  the  greatest 
factors  in  clean-cut  casting.  Do  not  start  the  forward 
cast  too  strenuously.  The  speed  of  the  rod  when  pass- 
ing through  the  arc  of  the  forward  cast  should  be 
greater  toward  the  finish.  At  the  end  of  the  forward 
cast  the  rod  should  be  a  little  above  parallel  with  the 
watero 

In  the  matter  of  rod  handling,  then,  the  chief  points 
for  the  fly-caster  to  observe,  as  regards  primarily  the 
overhead  cast,  are  these:  To  hold  the  rod  with  the 
thumb  extended  along  the  upper  surface  of  the  hand- 
grasp;  not  to  carry  the  rod  too  far  back  on  the  back 


FLY-CASTING  AND   FLY-FISHING     6i 

cast;  not  to  delay  the  back  cast  too  long,  and  to  start 
it  forcefully;  to  start  the  forward  cast  when  the  line 
first  begins  to  pull  on  the  rod,  and  to  start  it  rather 
easily  and  finish  strongly;  and,  finally,  not  to  allow  the 
rod  to  go  too  far  down  toward  the  water  at  the  end  of 
the  forward  cast. 

We  come  now  to  a  very  important  factor  in  good 
fly-casting,  one  which,  it  seems  to  the  writer,  is  never 
sufficiently  emphasized — indeed,  is  usu- 
Two-handed  ^^jy  entirely  disregarded — in  the  written 
^*  treatises  on  fly-casting.  I  refer  to  the 
matter  and  manner  of  using  the  left  hand,  taking  it  for 
granted  that  the  caster  is  right-handed,  to  manipulate 
the  line ;  the  reader  will  please  consider  everything  said 
in  reference  thereto  as  written  in  capitals. 

Briefly,  the  caster  should  grasp  the  line  with  his  left 
hand,  between  the  reel  and  the  first  guide,  and  all 
paying  out  and  retrieving  of  the  line,  either  when 
casting,  fishing  the  flies,  or  playing  a  trout,  should  be 
with  the  left  hand.  The  advantages  of  this  method  of 
line  handling  are  manifold,  and  ability  to  perform  it 
skilfully  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  A  loop  of  line 
of  reasonable  length,  not  so  long  as  to  invite  fouling, 
should  always  be  maintained  between  the  reel  and  the 
first  guide  so  that  at  the  end  of  the  forward  cast  (when 
the  hold  of  the  left  hand  on  the  line  is  slightly  relaxed) 
this  loop  will  shoot  out  through  the  rod  guides,  thereby 
adding  a  number  of  feet  to  the  cast.  Casting  at  any 
thing  over  moderate  distances  can  only  be  done  by  this 
method. 

Learning  to  use  the  left  hand  in  the  above  manner 


62         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

when  casting  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  things  in  fly- 
casting,  particularly  if  you  have  become  accustomed  to 
one-handed  casting,  but  it  is  certainly  worth  the 
trouble  of  acquiring  it;  in  fact,  its  advantages  and 
applications  in  various  directions  both  in  casting 
and  fishing  the  flies  are  so  numerous  that  they  can 
merely  be  suggested  at  this  point.  Particular  reference 
is  made  elsewhere  to  certain  situations  wherein  the  two- 
handed  fly-caster  has  every  advantage  over  the  caster 
whose  education  has  not  progressed  thus  far.  In  the 
writer's  opinion  and,  it  may  safely  be  said,  in  the  opin- 
ion of  every  man  who  has  done  much  fly-fishing,  the 
one  thing  above  all  others  is  to  learn  how  to  handle  the 
line  with  your  left  hand. 

Following  the  above  suggestions  should  certainly 
result  in  adding  a  number  of  feet  to  your  average  cast- 
ing without  any  determined  effort  to  gain 

IS  ance  vs.  (jist^nce.  In  fact  the  gaining  of  distance 
^*  by  mere  muscle  should  be  studiously 
avoided  if  for  no  other  reason  than  that  very  long  cast- 
ing is  usually  very  poor  fishing,  except,  of  course,  where 
reaching  out  is  absolutely  necessary  on  account  of 
natural  conditions.  The  chronic  distance  caster  gener- 
ally overcasts  his  water,  neglecting  good  water  near- 
by for  the  sake  of  seeing  his  flies  come  down  far-off. 
There  is  a  certain  satisfaction  in  this  without  doubt,  but 
it  is  not  good  fly-fishing.  Strenuous  effort  is  not  at  all 
necessary  for  reasonable  distance  fishing  casts;  tourna- 
ment casting  is  another  thing.  If  you  can  succeed  in 
getting  the  true  science  of  casting  down  to  a  fine  point, 
the  harmonious  action  of  wrist,  rod,  and  line,  everything 


FLY-CASTING   AND   FLY-FISHING     63 

done  just  right  and  at  just  the  right  time,  it  will  sur- 
prise you  how  easily  the  flies  may  be  sent  for  compara- 
tively long  distances.  Accuracy  is  the  thing  to  strive 
for. 

The  overhead  cast  is  the  foundation  of  all  fly-casting : 
other  casts,  such  as  the  wind  cast  and  the  side  cast, 

_  being  merely  variations  to  meet  weather 

Other  Casts  . 

'  conditions  or  the  natural   formation  of 

the  slieam.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  wind  and  side 
casts,  employed  against  the  wind  or  when  the  danger 
of  hanging-up  precludes  the  overhead  cast,  are  used 
quite  as  much  as  the  overhead,  especially  the  side  cast 
which  is  a  very  efficient  and  practical  fishing  method. 
This  latter  cast,  too,  it  is  claimed,  is  the  one  best 
adapted  to  laying  down  a  dry-fly  cocked  and  dry  upon 
the  water,  and  is  recommended  to  the  dry-fly  caster 
above  all  others.  The  fly-caster  who  is  reasonably  pro- 
ficient with  the  overhead  cast  can  pick  up  the  wind  and 
side  casts  very  easily. 

The  wind  cast  is  decidedly  not  a  pretty  one,  but  in  a 

strong  wind,  blowing  directly  toward  the  caster,  it  is 

the  only  method  which  will  get  out  the 

__..    ,  ^  flies    any    reasonable    distance.      Much 

Wind  Cast.  ,        ,  ... 

accuracy    under    the    conditions    is    not 

practicable,  and  any  degree  of  delicacy  in  dropping  the 

flies  impossible  and  unnecessary,  for  the  ruffled  surface 

of  the  water  hides  any  fault  in  this  direction. 

The  back  cast  is  made  in  the  usual  manner — the  wind 

cast  is  an  overhead  cast — but  the   forward  cast  is  a 

strong  downward   chopping  motion,   moving  the   rod 

hand  outward  and  downward,  with  a  quick,  strong  snap 


64        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

of  the  wrist,  and  the  rod  should  come  down  closer  to 
the  water  than  in  the  usual  overhead  cast.  The  wind 
cast  will  put  out  the  line  a  fair  fishing  distance  under 
very  adverse  conditions,  but  it  is  tiring  and  particularly 
hard  on  a  light  fly-rod.  However,  it  is  well  worth 
knowing.  It  sometimes  happens  that  trout  will  be 
found  rising  very  freely  on  a  windy,  blustering  day, 
even  when  they  have  shown  no  interest  in  the  artificials 
under  presumably  more  favorable  conditions.  Using 
this  cast  you  will  have  fair  success  when  the  other 
fellow  is  climbing  trees  after  his  flies  or  sitting  behind 
a  fence  waiting  for  the  wind  to  go  down — and  the 
wind  never  goes  down. 

In  the  side  cast  the  rod  travels  back  in  the  back  cast 
parallel  with  the  water  and  not  far  above  the  waist-line ; 
the  rod  hand  must  be  kept  down  low 
"  with  the  back  of  the  hand  toward  the 

water.  The  line  should  be  thrown  back- 
ward traveling  three  or  four  feet  above  the  surface  of 
the  stream,  and  the  forward  cast  must  be  started 
quickly  and  timed  correctly,  since  the  line  has  only  a 
little  distance  to  fall  before  striking  the  water.  The 
latter  contingency  should  be  avoided  for  several  reasons, 
and  of  these  not  the  least  important  is  that  you  are 
liable  to  rise  a  trout  when  the  flies  strike  behind  you — 
a  very  disconcerting  situation  and  one  liable  to  result 
in  a  smash-up.    I  have  seen  this  happen  several  times. 

The  side  cast  should  always  be  used  where  over- 
hanging branches  invite  a  hang-up  even  when  by  taking 
chances  and  using  the  overhead  cast  you  might  gain 
greater  distance,    Under  such  conditions  it  is  better  to 


FLY-CASTING   AND    FLY-FISHING      65 

move  up  slowly  and  quietly,  or,  if  necessary,  get  out  of 
the  stream  and  still-hunt  your  trout  from  the  bank.  A 
hang-up  with  the  consequent  maneuvers  to  get  free 
always  spoils  sport  in  the  immediate  vicinity. 

How  to  Fish  the  Flies 

The  one  thing  which  definitely  distinguishes  the  fly- 
fishing beginner  from  the  fly-fishing  veteran  is  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  cast  of  flies  is  handled.  If,  with  some 
fly-fishing  experience  to  make  your  judgment  com- 
petent, you  follow  the  veteran  fly-caster  as  he  wades 
down  the  stream,  you  will  see  that  always  the  flies 
alight  where  they  will  do  the  most  good,  that  the  man- 
ner of  handling  the  cast  varies  with  the  water  and 
other  conditions,  that  the  cast  passes  over  every  bit 
of  likely  water,  and  that  always  the  flies  are  fished  with 
malice  aforethought  and  with  little  or  nothing  of  the 
chuck-and-chance-it  about  the  process. 

But  if  you  choose  to  share  as  a  spectator — quite  the 
best  way — the  varied  fortunes  and  misfortunes  of  the 
fly-casting  novice  on  the  stream,  you  will  see  another 
sort  of  fishing.  Everything  is  haphazard  and  without 
definite  plan;  good  water  and  poor  are  fished  out  with 
equal  futility;  in  fact,  the  novice,  provided  he  can  get 
the  flies  out  on  the  water,  somehow,  anyhow,  or  any- 
where, and  again  retrieve  them,  is  satisfied  that  he  is 
fly-fishing  and  damns  the  stream  as  trout  deserted  when, 
in  consequence  of  his  methods,  or  rather,  lack  of  meth- 
od, the  results  are  nil.  To  put  it  in  another  way:  The 
manner  in  which  the  flies  are  fished  distinguishes  the 


66        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

fly-fisherman  from  the  mere  fly-caster,  whether  or  no 
the  fly-caster,  as  such,  be  expert  or  otherwise. 

As  in  selecting  a  fly-rod  one  is  rather  more  apt  to 
consider  primarily  its  casting  qualities  than  its  suitability 
to  playing  and  landing  trout,  so  is  one  prone  when 
speaking  of  fly-fishing  to  consider  rather  the  act  of 
casting  the  flies  than  the  ways  of  fishing  them.  As  a 
matter  of  practical  angling,  however,  one  of  the  chief 
functions  of  the  fly-rod  is  the  playing  and  landing  of 
trout ;  and  casting  the  fly,  apart  from  tournament  work, 
is  a  mere  mechanical  preliminary  to  fishing  the  flies. 
Fly-fishing  begins  when  the  flies  are  on  the  water. 
Ability  to  cast  well  cannot  be  over-rated,  but  fishing  the 
flies  IS  even  more  important. 

To  fish  the  flies  properly  one  must  know  what  is 

fishable  water — "where  the  trout  hide" — after  which 

correct  manipulation  of  the  flies  is  the 

ris  ao  e  important  factor.  The  stream  localities 
especially  favored  by  the  trout  vary  con- 
siderably as  regards  their  natural  characteristics  with 
different  streams  and,  also,  with  the  different  species  of 
trout — brook,  brown,  or  rainbow.  Also  the  time  of 
year,  as  noted  in  the  preceding  chapter,  whether  early 
or  late  in  the  season,  determines  to  quite  an  extent 
where  the  most  trout  will  be  found.  Knowledge  of 
brook  trout  habits  and  an  acquaintance  with  the  stream 
gained  by  whipping  it  a  good  many  times  will  show  the 
angler  which  is  the  fishable  water  in  any  given  stream. 

The  manner  in  which  to  handle  the  cast  of  flies  is, 
however,  more  or  less  a  matter  of  conjecture,  immediate 
results  from  various  ways  of  fishing  the  cast  determining 


FLY-CASTING   AND    FLY-FISHING     67 

very  often  for  the  time  being  the  manner  most  effective. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  angler  who  becomes  wedded  to  one 

way  and  sticks,  to  that  way  through  thick 

Versatility    ^^^  ^j^jj^^  j^q  matter  what  the  time  of 

T^,     ^  ,  .         year,   condition  of  water,   or  character 
Fly-fishing,  \    \  -n  1 

of    the    stream,    will    catch    trout,    but 

the  angler  who  chooses  to  be  versatile  in  his  methods 

will  catch  more. 

Books  on  fly-fishing  usually  dismiss  the  subject  of 
how  to  fish  the  flies  with  the  brief  and  apparently  satis- 
factory advice:  Imitate  as  closely  as  pos- 
Imitation  of  g-j^j^  ^^^  actions  of  the  natural  insect. 

Nature.       ^.  ...        ,    ,  ,  . 

Ui  course,  imitation  of  the  natural  in- 
sect is  the  thing  to  strive  for,  but — just  how  do  you  go 
about  it?  The  result  of  this  advice  is  that  the  novice, 
with  the  very  best  intentions,  generally  skips,  twitches, 
and  flutters  the  flies  about  on  the  water,  sometimes 
making  them  skip  gaily  up-stream  against  a  sixty-mile 
current,  all  in  the  fond  belief  that  he  is  imitating  nature 
to  the  limit.  In  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  founded 
upon  a  fair  success  in  trout  fly-fishing  due  probably 
more  than  anything  else  to  avoiding  this  sort  of  nature 
fake,  no  worse  way  of  handling  the  cast  can  possibly  be 
employed. 

Do  not  skip  the  flies  about  over  the  water.  Exact 
imitation  of  nature  in  trout  fly-fishing  is  most  closely 
approached  by  dry-fly  methods;  and  twitching  and  flut- 
tering the  flies  forms  no  part  of  the  science  of  dry-fly 
fishing.  By  all  means,  eschew  dragging  the  flies  up- 
stream against  sixty-mile  currents  because,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  natural  insect  would,  of  course,  be  going 
the  other  way  at  "current  rates." 


68         THE    FINE   ART    OF    FISHING 

In  the  opinion  of  experienced  fly-casters  the  most 

successful  method  of  casting  and  fishing  the  flies  is  at 

right  angles  to  the  stream,  cross-current, 

e  v^  ^    *  allowing  the  flies  to  sweep  along  down- 
Current  Cast.  .  1     1  11. 

stream  with  the  current  over  the  desir- 
able places,  always  taking  pains  to  have  a  fairly  taut 
line.  Usually  the  slightly  submerged  fly  is  the  most 
effective.  This  method  it  would  seem  is,  in  a  way,  a 
compromise  between  the  up-stream  and  down-stream 
methods. 

The  caster  who  uses  this  method  should  employ  the 
slack-line  cast,  described  above  in  this  chapter,  draw- 
ing in  the  line  gradually  through  the  rod  guides  with 
the  left  hand  as  the  flies  work  around  and  down-stream 
in  order  to  maintain  a  taut  line.  The  course  traveled 
by  the  flies  is  practically  a  quarter-circle  from  a  point  in 
front  of  the  caster  to  one  directly  below  him  and  down- 
stream. They  are  then  lifted  and  another  cast  made 
from  a  stand  lower  down.  Care  should  be  taken  that 
the  leader  and  flies  float  fairly  straight,  that  is,  the 
leader  should  not  be  bent  so  that  the  end  fly  tails  along 
too  far  behind  the  dropper.  A  taut  line,  watching  the 
effect  of  the  current  and  holding  the  rod  pretty  well 
up,  will  obviate  this. 

The  extent  to  which  the  flies  should  be  submerged 

varies  with  the  weather  and  water  conditions,  and  also 

with  the  temporary  likes  and  dislikes  of 

The  Sub-     ^^^  ^^^^^^     On   a  slightly  flooded   and 

merged  Fly.  ,.     ,       ,  ,    .     , 

°  ''    discolored  stream,  or  early  in  the  season, 

or  on  a  very  windy  day,  or  in  very  rough,   broken 
water,  the  chances  are  th^t  the  considerably  submerged 


FLY-CASTING  AND   FLY-FISHING     69 

fly  will  be  the  most  effective.  Fishing  in  this  manner, 
when  the  flies  get  well  away  from  you,  you  will  possibly 
not  see  the  rising  trout  but  must  strike  by  the  ''feel"; 
it  is  very  difficult  and  a  matter  of  much  practice  to 
hook  a  fish  under  these  circumstances.  Often  you  will 
not  know  that  the  trout  has  struck  and  when  you  lift 
the  flies  for  the  back  cast  you  will  merely  prick  him 
and  roll  him  over  in  the  water.  It  goes  without  saying 
that  the  feelings  of  both  parties  to  this  transaction  are 
considerably  hurt. 

But  with  practice  and  the  emplo5^ment  of  constant 
vigilance  it  becomes  possible  for  the  angler  to  hook  his 

fish  "sight  unseen"  with  fair  regularity. 
Striking  Un-j^^  f^^^  ^j^^  fly-caster  develops  a  sort  of 
seen  Trout.  ,    .  ,        ,  .  ,       n     ,  .         , 

second-sight   which   tells   him   when   to 

strike  even  when  occasionally  he  has  not  felt  the  fish  or 
even  seen  the  flash  of  the  trout  in  the  water.  As  a 
general  thing  fewer  strikes  will  be  missed  if  they  come 
when  the  cast  is  carrying  around  and  down-stream  and 
before  the  line  straightens  out  below  the  angler.  It  is 
always  well  to  re-cast  immediately  as  soon  as  the  line 
straightens  out  directly  down-stream  and  not  to  allow 
the  flies  to  play  around  in  the  swift  current  at  the  end 
of  a  taut  line.  A  trout  striking  under  these  conditions 
is  seldom  hooked  securely,  and  the  force  of  the  water 
helps  him  to  tear  away  before  you  can  get  things  into 
proper  shape  to  play  with  him.  Fishing  a  deeply  sub- 
merged fly  is  not  very  desirable  from  a  sporting  point 
of  view  and  the  method  should  only  be  employed  as  a 
lar;t  resort,  when  it  is  often  very  effective. 

Under    normal    conditions,    with    clear   and    fairly 


70        THE  FINE  ART  OF  FISHING 

smooth  water  and  on  calm  days,  the  flies  should  be  only 

slightly  submerged — in   fact,   should  be 
^^^^  ^^®  fished  quite  on  the  surface,  sinking  only 

to  the  extent  caused  by  their  weight. 
This  may  be  attained  by  always  keeping  the  point  of 
the  rod  well  up  and  taking  care  to  strip  in  the  line  with 
the  proper  rapidity.  If  the  line  becomes  too  slack  or 
the  rod  point  drops  too  low  the  flies  will  become 
drowned  at  once.  They  should  as  far  as  possible  be 
allowed  to  follow  the  natural  trend  of  the  current,  just 
as  a  derelict  insect  would  float,  following  through  the 
eddies  and  whirls  without  noticeable  restraint  from  the 
line.  You  may  be  sure  that  trout  know  where  to  lie 
in  the  stream  in  order  to  intercept  insects  floating  down 
with  the  current ;  and  that  if  your  flies  follow  the  natu- 
ral course  of  the  current  in  a  natural  manner,  they  will 
pass  over  the  majority  of  the  best  "lies"  in  a  way  calcu- 
lated to  produce  results. 

A  very  foxy  cast  is  to  drop  your  flies  on  a  patch  of 
floating    foam.      Do    not    immediately    drag    the    flies 

through  the  foam  but  allow  them  to  lie 
-J   ^^y       upon  and   float  with  it,   exactly  as  the 

natural  insect  caught  in  this  manner 
would  do,  finally  sinking  through.  Foam  patches  col- 
lect numbers  of  insects  and  the  trout  know  this. 

The   method   of   casting   above   described,   at   right 
angles  to  the  current,  is  the  one  to  tie  to ;  it  is  the  best 

way  to  fish  the  flies  under  almost  all  con- 
f'OOl  ditions.     But,  of  course,  there  are  times 

and  places  when  and  where  this  method 
is  impracticable.     Often   it   is   impossible   to   reach   a 


FLY-CASTING   AND    FLY-FISHING     71 

proper  stand  from  which  to  cast  cross-current ;  and,  too, 
the  method  naturally  requires  a  current  to  carry  the 
flies.  This  last  precludes  the  use  of  the  cross-current 
cast  over  pools  and  still-waters. 

In  places  of  this  sort  it  is  necessary  to  impart  natural 
action  to  the  flies  by  manipulation  of  the  rod  and  line, 
but  anything  in  the  nature  of  fussiness  or  too  obvious 
motion  should  be  avoided.  The  cast  should  be  made 
lightly  and  the  flies  allowed  to  remain  for  a  moment 
where  they  alight  and  then  withdrawn  a  little  and 
quietly.  Over  pools  and  still-waters  it  is  best  not  to 
allow  them  to  remain  in  one  spot  too  long ;  that  is,  they 
should  not  be  dragged  any  considerable  distance  from 
the  point  where  they  first  fell.  It  is  better  to  cast  fre- 
quently, relying  upon  repeated  casts  to  cover  the  pool 
thoroughly. 

A  very  important  thing  is  to  be  careful  always  about 
the  first  cast  you  make  over  any  likely  spot.    The  ten- 
dency, even  with  experienced  fly-casters 
r     i^  ^^^  know  better,  is  to  make  this  first 

cast  rather  carelessly  and  as  a  sort  of 
experiment.  Consequently  a  good  fish  is  often  raised 
and  lost  on  account  of  the  angler's  not  being  ready  for 
him.  As  a  general  thing — every  fly-fishing  rule  has  its 
numerous  exceptions — a  trout  that  is  in  a  rising  mood 
will  come  for  the  first  or  second  cast,  and  it  is  rather 
more  apt  to  come  for  the  first  than  the  second.  In  view 
of  this  always  make  the  first  cast  over  any  new  place 
fully  prepared  for  trouble.  If  the  trout  rises  when  you 
are  only  at  half-attention  and  is  missed,  or  is  pricked 
and  lost,  the  chances  are  numerous  that  you  have  seen 


72         THE    FINE   ART   OF    FISHING 

the  last  of  him — a  pricked  trout  never  comes  to  the  fly 
again. 

Another  thing — before  you  cast   over   any  difficult 

place  w^here  the  current  is  very  swift,   or  the  banks 

rocky  and  steep,  or  the  water  too  deep 

^^*^ii^  over  ^q  wade,  always  look  over  the  situation 

Difficult  J        1  •  J   •     .      u        • 

p,  and  make  up  your  mind  just  where  is 

the  best  place  to  land  a  fish  under  the 

circumstances  and  how  one  may  best  be  handled;  then 

pick  your  place  to  cast  from  accordingly.    Then  when 

you  strike  a  good-sized  trout  you  will  not  be  rattled 

about  what  to  do  next  but  will  be  ready  to  go  right 

after  him.     If  you  are  unprepared  and  merely  hang 

on  to  the  fish  while  you  are  trying  to  decide  what  to 

do  with  him  the  chances  are  that  he  will  tear  away  or 

foul  you  before  you  can  make  up  your  mind.     Often 

you  will  see  anglers  casting  from  places  where  It  would 

be  simply  impossible  for  them  to  save  a  trout  if  one 

were  hooked. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  BAIT-CASTER  AND  THE  SWEET- 
WATER BASSES 

SOME  years  ago  Dr.  James  A.  Henshall,  whose 
name  is  so  intimately  and  favorably  connected 
with  the  sporting  and  natural  history  of  the 
sweet-water  basses,  stated  that  the  black  bass — ''inch 
for  inch  and  pound  for  pound  the  gamest  fish  that 
swims" — would  eventually  become  the 
Bait-casting  i^^ding  game  fish  of  America.  It  may  be 
safely  said  that  at  the  present  time  the 
truth  of  this  statement  is  quite  evident.  Fly-fishing  for 
trout  and  casting  for  bass,  barring  stream  fishing  with 
flies  where  the  two  methods  are  closely  approximate, 
are  very  different  propositions;  but  comparisons 
are  always  odious  and  we  will  not  here  argue 
the  case  of  the  Brook  Trout  vs,  the  Black  Bass.  It  is 
probably  a  fact  that  an  impartial  jury  of  anglers  im- 
paneled from  the  country  at  large  would  bring  in  a 
verdict  in  favor  of  the  defendant — the  black  bass.  An 
enthusiastic  bass  fisherman,  whom  the  writer  met  one 
day  at  his  camp  on  the  shore  of  a  little  lake  in  the 
Berkshires,  summed  up  the  matter  to  the  satisfaction  of 

73 


74        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

all  present  in  this  way;  "I  like  to  fish  for  brook  trout," 
he  said,  "but  I  prefer  to  catch  black  bass." 

More  than  anything  else  the  introduction  of  the 
short  bait-casting  rod  and  the  general  taking  up  by 
anglers  of  casting  from  the  free-running  reel  has  served 
to  popularize  the  black  bass  and  bass  fishing.  Bait-cast- 
ing from  the  reel  is  an  inherently  interesting  angling 
method  and  in  time  will  supersede  among  anglers  any 
other  form  or  forms  of  bass  fishing.  At  the  present  time 
the  method,  while  in  very  general  use,  cannot  be  said 
to  be  universal  in  any  such  degree  as  fly-casting  for 
trout  is  generally  practiced.  But  that  it  will  eventually 
become  the  generally  accepted  and  universally  ac- 
credited form  of  sportsmanlike  bass  fishing  now  seems 
a  certainty. 

The  Natural  History  of  the  Black  Bass 

You  must  know  something  of  the  habits  of  the  black 
bass  to  fish  for  him  successfully,  and  this  is  particularly 
true  in  the  case  of  the  devotee  of  bait-casting.  Given 
a  lake  or  stream  with  bass  therein,  something  more  is 
necessary  than  merely  getting  into  a  boat  or  a  pair  of 
waders,  selecting  some  spot  that  looks  sufficiently  wet, 
and  then  casting  for  "general  results."  The  small  and 
large-mouth  bass  spawn  during  the  months  of  May  and 
June,  the  exact  time  depending  upon  the  temperature. 
In  water  of  a  comparatively  high  temperature  the 
spawning  period  is  prior  to  that  in  waters  lower  in 
temperature,  and  in  rivers  the  bass  spawn  earlier  than 
in  lakes  and  ponds.  The  nest  is  guarded  by  the  male 
fish,  and  for  some  time  after  the  eggs  have  hatched  the 


BAIT-CASTER   AND   BASSES  75 

male  parent  guards  the  young  fish.  Small-mouths 
choose  a  gravelly  bottom  for  building  the  nest,  but  the 
large-mouths  sometimes  do  not  discriminate  in  this 
regard.  The  spawning  takes  place  in  the  shallows,  and 
for  some  time  thereafter,  during  the  first  days  of  the 
open  season,  the  bass  remain  in  moderately  shallow 
water.  At  this  time  the  bait-caster  should  fish  on  the 
surface. 

When  lake-fishing,  parallel  the  shore  in  your  boat  or 
canoe,  casting  shoreward  to  the  edge  of  the  weeds,  in 
the  shade  of  overhanging  rocks,  about 
^.  y  lily-pads  and  submerged  trees  and  places 
^*  of  like  nature.  Find  out  where  the  bars 
are  in  the  lake  you  are  fishing  and  cast  in  to  the  edge 
of  these.  If  the  bar  is  a  large  one,  forming  an  expan- 
sive shallow  place,  perhaps,  as  often  occurs,  well  out 
In  the  middle  of  the  lake,  fish  the  whole  of  it.  If  you 
are  fishing  waters  new  to  you,  get  some  local  angler 
or  guide  to  locate  the  various  bars.  Once  located  you 
should  take  their  bearings  very  carefully  so  that  you  can 
find  them  again.  Looking  for  a  lost  bar  in  a  big  lake 
is  an  almost  hopeless  undertaking. 

Thus  early  in  the  season  the  water  will  be  fairly 
clear  of  weeds  and  the  angler  can  cast  close  in-shore 
without  fouling  the  tackle.  In  quiet  bays  where  there 
are  lily-pads  and  flags,  and  the  bottom  has  a  tendency 
to  be  muddy,  you  will  find  the  large-mouths.  Off 
sandy  bars  and  where  gravel  bottom  predominates,  or 
where  the  bottom  is  rocky,  you  may  expect  to  find  the 
small-mouth  bass.  The  two  often  co-exist  in  the  same 
pond  or  lake,  and  when  caught  you  can  easily  differen- 


76        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

tiate  them  by  observing  the  relative  position  of  the 
angle  of  the  jaw  and  the  eye.  In  the  large-mouth  the 
angle  of  the  jaw  is  perceptibly  to  the  rear  of  the  eye;  in 
the  small-mouth  It  is  exactly  underneath. 

As  the  season  advances  the  bass  work  out  into  deeper 

and  cooler  water.     Now,  except  early  or  late  in  the 

day,  when  the  fish  may  be  feeding  in  the 

bummer  shallows,  the  bait-caster  should  use  an 
^*  under-water  bait.  Locate  the  spring- 
holes,  for  at  this  time  the  bass,  particularly  the  small- 
mouths,  congregate  about  these;  if  there  are  shady 
places  along-shore,  where  the  water  is  of  fair  depth,  try 
your  luck  there.  For  much  success  at  this  season  you 
must  go  down  to  the  fish.  If  you  find  the  bait  you  arc 
using  is  not  successful  put  on  lead  and  the  chances  are 
it  will  make  a  difference.  An  ordinary  spoon  is  a  good 
lure  for  this  purpose.  When  leaded  it  sinks  rapidly  and 
if  not  reeled  in  too  quickly,  travels  at  a  good  depth.  A 
small  dipsey  sinker  is  the  best  to  use. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  rely  wholly,  as  do  some  bait-casters, 
upon  some  form  of  surface  bait.  There  are  times,  when, 
as  every  fly-fisherman  has  reason  to  know,  trout  and 
bass  are  not  in  a  rising  mood.  As  your  boat  moves 
along  the  shore  you  should  whip  the  places  which 
appear  promising  very  thoroughly.  One  or  two  casts 
are  sufficient  for  any  one  spot,  but  the  next  cast  should 
not  be  more  than  three  or  four  feet  away.  Sometimes 
a  bass  will  only  strike  the  bait  when  it  is  cast  very 
close  to  him.  This  is  particularly  the  case  when  the 
fish  are  lying  close  in-shore  among  the  weeds  and 
rushes. 


BAIT-CASTER   AND   BASSES  77 

During  September  and  October  the  water  is  gradu- 
ally cooling  and  the  bass  are  again  to  be  found  to  quite 
an  extent  in  the  shallows.     Most  of  the 

Autumn  summer  weed  growths  are  dying  down, 
^*  the  clouding  effect  of  the  summer  "work- 
ing" has  passed  away,  and  the  water  is  now  pure  and 
clear.  All  things  considered,  this  is  the  best  time  for 
bass  fishing,  especially  for  the  bait-caster.  New  life 
seems  to  have  been  imparted  to  the  bass  and  they  will 
rise  freely  and  strike  the  bait  with  emphasis.  At  this 
time,  during  the  early  fall,  surface  fishing  is  generally 
very  successful  and  the  admirer  of  the  floating  bait  for 
bass  may  safely  give  his  preference  full  rein. 

For  stream  fishing  the  above  methods  should  be  modi- 
fied to  suit  the  occasion.  Wade  wherever  possible  or,  if 
the  stream  is  too  deep  for  this,  use  a  canoe 

ID* 

■J^^y^^  — ^^^  ^^^y  craft  for  river  work.  In 
^*  streams  small-mouths  "use"  about  the 
edges  of  rifts  and  rapids  and  in  the  pools  at  the  foot 
of  rapids;  they  are  fond  of  lying  in  the  lee  of  sunken 
logs  where  there  is  a  gentle  current  and  underneath 
shelving  banks;  you  will  often  find  them  lying  close  to 
the  banks  underneath  overhanging  trees  or  brush  and 
among  submerged  tree-roots  from  which  the  river  has 
fretted  the  soil  away.  ^  If  there  are  large-mouths  in  the 
stream  cast  in  the  quiet  coves  where  there  are  lily-pads 
and  rushes  and  in  the  still,  weedy  reaches  of  the  river. 

During  the  middle  of  the  day,  unless  it  is  cloudy  and 
dark,  casting  for  bass  is  usually  love's  labor  lost;  even 
on  cloudy  days,  when  conditions  appear  most  favorable, 
fishing  at  this  time  is  apt  to  be  unsuccessful.    However, 


78        THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

when  the  weather  is  unseasonably  cold,  the  mid-day 
fishing  IS  sometimes  the  best.    The  early 
p    ^^.  .^^      morning  hours  are  the  most  fruitful  in 
almost  all  waters,  and  the  late  afternoon 
and  evening  fishing  is,  other  things  being  equal,  always 
good.     Under  normal  conditions  bass  feed  principally 
early  and  late  in  the  day.     In  the  summer  time,  how- 
ever, during  the  full  moon,  when  the  nights  are  still  and 
almost  day-bright,  the  bass  feed  during  the  night,  and 
day-time  fishing  is  usually  very  poor. 

For  a  good  fishing  day  It  is  by  no  means  essential 
that  the  sky  be  overcast.  A  gray  day  is  a  good  fishing 
day  undoubtedly,  but,  in  the  writer's  opinion,  a  bright, 
snappy  day,  with  a  good  ripple  on  the  water,  is  quite 
as  likely  to  yield  results.  A  bright,  still  day  in  the  sum- 
mer time,  when  the  weather  is  hot.  Is  no  fishing  day 
for  the  bait-caster.  Deep-trolling  with  live  bait  is 
about  the  only  practicable  method  under  such  condi- 
tions. After  the  long  continuance  of  a  certain  sort  of 
weather,  either  bright  or  dark,  dry  or  rainy,  the  fishing 
often  falls  off  and  then  any  change  is  one  for  the  better. 
Minor  weather  changes  are  not  liable  to  affect  the 
river  bass  fishing  greatly.  Running  water,  the  varying 
conformation  of  the  banks  and  stream  bottom,  the  fact 
that  due  to  the  many  turns  and  bends  of  the  river  the 
wind  affects  in  a  different  way  different  portions  of  the 
stream,  these  and  other  factors  combine  to  keep  the 
fishing  fairly  good  under  nearly  all  conditions.  The 
stream  bass  angler,  however,  has  to  pay  for  his  immun- 
ity from  certain  nuisances  affecting  the  lake  fisherman 
in    the   susceptibility    of    the   stream    to    sudden    rises 


BAIT-CASTER   AND   BASSES  79 

caused  either  by  local  rains  or  rains  nearer  the  head- 
waters. When  the  rise  is  on  and  before  the  water  has 
become  too  high  and  discolored  is  a  propitious  time ;  it  is, 
however,  something  in  the  nature  of  a  psychological 
moment,  for  although  the  fishing  may  be  very  good 
while  it  lasts,  it  lasts  but  a  short  time.  Then  it  is  a 
case  of  waiting  for  the  stream  to  go  down. 

The  black  bass,  either  the  large-  or  small-mouth,  is 
one  of  the  most  erratic  of  game  fishes.     Bass  fishermen 

of  long  experience  generally  come  to  the 
Bass  Habits  conclusion  that,  no  matter  how  well  ac- 
%    ^  Vf^     quainted   one  may  be  with   the  waters 

fished  and  the  customary  habits  and  habi- 
tats of  the  bass  therein,  it  is  impossible  for  one  to  fore- 
cast with  any  certainty  where  the  bass  may  be  found 
or  what  sort  of  food  or  bait  they  may  at  any  time 
prefer.  In  general  bass  habits  are  in  great  measure  a 
matter  of  locality.  Not  only  will  a  bass  taken  from  a 
certain  lake  differ  appreciably  in  coloration,  and  some- 
times slightly  in  formation,  from  one  taken  from  a  lake 
closely  adjacent,  but  in  the  contrasted  waters  the  habits 
of  the  fish  will  differ  considerably.  As  above  suggested 
you  cannot  do  better,  when  about  to  fish  new  waters, 
than  to  rely  upon  the  guidance  of  a  resident  angler.  It 
is  possible  that  you  may  know  more  about  bass  fishing 
than  he  does,  but  he  will  know  more  about  the  bass  in 
that  particular  lake  than  do  you. 

The  Tackle  for  Bait-casting 

First-cIass  sport   in   angling   for   any   game   fish   is 
essentially  a  matter  of  the  tackle  and  methods  employed. 


8o        THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

As  noted  above  the  present  great  and  increasing  interest 
in  the  black  bass  and  in  fishing  for  him  may  be  attrib- 
uted largely  to  the  introduction  and  very  general 
adoption  of  the  short  bait-casting  rod.  Fly-fishing  for 
black  bass,  since  by  far  the  greater  part  of  bass  angling 
IS  done  in  lakes — and  lake  fly-fishing  for  bass  is  not  apt 
to  be  very  productive — is  difficult  to  find  of  a  quality 
good  enough  to  hold  the  angler's  interest  permanently. 
Where  good  fly-fishing  for  bass  in  running  water  may 
be  had,  that  method  would  properly  be  preferred  to 
bait-casting  by  the  expert  with  the  fly-rod.  Barring 
this,  bait-casting  with  the  short  casting  rod  and  free- 
running  reel  is  the  most  intrinsically  interesting  of  all 
bass  fishing  methods  and  one  calculated  to  afford  rea- 
sonable sport  under  almost  all  conditions. 

The  writer  has  elsewhere  discussed  bait-casting  tackle 
at  some  length  ("Fishing  Kits  and  Equipment"),  but  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  required  tackle  and  the  cor- 
rect way  of  casting  with  it  are  not  nearly  as  well  un- 
derstood among  anglers  in  general  as  the  tackle  and 
methods  for  fly-casting,  it  seems  best  to  include  here  a 
few  notes  on  the  casting  rod,  the  casting  reel  and  other 
bait-casting  equipment,  together  with  suggestions  in 
regard  to  the  use  of  the  rod  in  casting. 

The  typical  modern  short  casting  rod,  as  distinguished 
from  the  old  style  and  longer  casting  rods  of  which  the 
well-known    "Henshall"    rod    may    be 
.   1  ne  ^        taken    as    an    example,    and   which    the 
P   J      ^   short  rods  have  largely  superseded,  va- 
ries in  length  for  practical  fishing  pur- 
poses from  five  and  a  half  to  six  feet.     For  distance 


BAIT-CASTER   AND   BASSES  8i 

tournament  casting,  shorter  rods  are  sometimes  used. 
The  essential  difference  in  the  use  of  the  short  rod  and 
that  of  the  long  is  that  the  short  rod  Is  employed  almost 
exclusively  to  cast  artificial  baits,  spoons,  singlehook 
fly-spoons,  artificial  minnows,  and  pork-rind  baits  of 
various  descriptions,  and  to  cast  them  largely  with  the 
overhead  cast;  while  the  longer  rod  Is  best  adapted  for 
the  live  minnow  with  the  side  cast.  Overhead  casting 
is  not  practicable  with  rods  much  over  six  feet  In 
length.  When  fishing  It  Is  very  advantageous  to  be 
able  to  employ  the  overhead  and  side  casts  at  will ;  also, 
at  the  present  time,  the  tendency  among  bait-casters  is 
very  strongly  toward  the  use  of  artificial  baits. 

When  selecting  the  bait-casting  rod  the  angler  should 
consider.  In  addition  to  t!ie  casting  qualities  of  the  rod, 
Its  suitability  to  playing  and  landing  fish.  Within 
reason  the  shorter  rods  are  better  suited  to  long  casting, 
say  the  rod  of  five  to  five  and  a  half  feet.  But  the 
caster  who  employs  a  rod  of  this  length,  surely  sacrifices 
efficiency  In  handling  his  fish.  As  a  general  rule  the 
longer  the  rod  the  more  control  you  have  over  a  hooked 
fish,  also  the  more  certain  you  are  of  hooking  a  rising 
fish.  But  to  still  retain  good  casting  qualities  In  the 
rod  and  the  ability  to  use  it  for  both  styles  of  casting, 
side  and  overhead,  the  rod  must  not  be  much  over  six 
feet;  all  things  considered,  the  six-foot  rod  Is  the  best 
for  all  general  bait-casting  purposes.  Its  material 
should,  for  light  fishing,  be  split-bamboo.  For  heavy 
fishing  in  weedy  lakes  and  deep,  swift  rivers  a  sturdy 
rod  of  bethabara  or  greenheart  Is  more  serviceable. 

The  guides  of  the  rod  must  allow  free-running  of 


82        THE   FINE  ART  OF  FISHING 

the  line  with  the  least  possible  friction  and  for  this 
reason  should  be  fairly  large.  German  silver  trumpet 
guides  are  very  good  ones  for  the  purpose,  and  to  in- 
crease the  ease  of  casting  and  lessen  line-wear  from 
friction  it  is  well  to  have  agate  hand  and  tip  guides, 
since  it  is  at  these  points  that  the  most  friction  occurs. 
The  very  best  way  to  fit  the  rod  in  the  matter  of  guides 
is  to  use  narrow  raised  agates  throughout,  although 
this  is  rather  expensive.  The  reel-seat  must,  of  course, 
be  above  the  handgrasp,  and  all  rod  mountings  should 
preferably  be  of  German  silver. 

Bait-casting  can  be  done  only  with  a  quadruple  Riulti- 

plying  reel.     It  should  be  rather  long  in  the  barrel  as 

compared  with  the  diameter  of  the  side 

The  Casting  pistes.    The  size  may  be  either  eighty  or 

J  X  •  one  hundred  yards.    A  very  good  one — a 

and  Line.      ,  ,  .  .    .        \^,  , 

cheap  casting  reel  is  impossible — may  be 

had  for  seven  dollars  and  upwards.  The  position  of 
the  reel  on  the  rod  is  on  top  of  the  rod  with  the  handle 
to  the  right,  and  the  rod  is  never  to  be  turned  so  that 
the  reel  is  underneath. 

As  for  the  line  it  must  be  of  undressed  silk,  no  water- 
proofing or  enameling;  it  must  also  be  of  small  caliber, 
size  G  being  the  most  used.  No  line  save  an  undressed 
one  of  small  size  can  be  used  for  casting  from  the  reel. 

As  noted  above  the  present  tendency  of  anglers  in  the 
matter  of  baits  for  bass  is  to  use  artificial  ones  almost 
entirely.     There   are  a  great  many  of 
R    t^^        these  baits  on  the  market,  but  only  a  few 
of  them  are  either  practical  or  sports- 
manlike.   The  beginner  at  bait-casting  will  do  well  to 


BAIT-CASTER   AND   BASSES  83 

use  one  of  the  floating  baits;  when  he  gets  Into  trouble 
with  the  reel,  as  he  most  assuredly  will,  the  bait  will  not 
go  to  the  bottom  with  the  probability  of  getting  fast 
when  the  angler  is  picking  out  the  tangle.  The  float- 
ing baits  induce  a  great  many  strikes.  Personally  I  use 
a  small  bucktail  spoon  a  great  deal,  and  the  small  spin- 
ners fitted  with  single-hook  bass  flies  are  very  satisfac- 
tory; with  these  last  a  quarter-ounce  dipsey  sinker 
should  be  used.  Pork-rind  baits  are  usually  very  suc- 
cessful and  these  the  angler  may  cut  himself  or  they 
may  be  had  In  preserved  form  from  the  tackle  dealers. 
The  pork-rind  bait  Is  best  used  on  a  small  white  enam- 
eled spoon.  The  various  artificial  minnows  are  much 
used  and  very  successful  lures  for  bait-casting. 

Casting  from  the  Reel 
There  are  two  methods  of  casting  from  the  reel,  the 
side  cast  and  the  overhead  cast.  The  side  cast  Is  the 
easier  one  to  negotiate  and  the  beginner  will  do  well 
at  first  to  confine  his  attention  to  this.  First,  the  bait, 
spoon  or  artificial  minnow.  Is  reeled  up  to  within  about 
six  Inches  of  the  tip  guide.  The  rod,  then,  pointing 
appreciably  downward  below  the  waistline,  is  swung 
at  arm's  length  to  the  rear  of  the  caster  and  then 
brought  forward  with  a  steady  sweeping  motion.  Up 
to  the  point  when  the  line  Is  to  be  released  and  allowed 
to  run  out  through  the  guides  as  a  result  of  the  momen- 
tum of  the  swinging  rod,  the  thumb  of  the  rod  hand  Is 
kept  firmly  clamped  on  the  line  wound  on  the  reel- 
spool.  When  the  swing  of  the  rod  has  reached  a  point 
where  the  line  when  released  will  shoot  out  in   the 


84        THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

desired  direction  for  the  cast,  the  pressure  of  the  thumb 
on  the  reel  is  slightly,  not  entirely,  released;  while  the 
line  is  running  out  the  thumb  is  constantly  pressed  very 
gently  on  the  revolving  reel-spool,  as  otherwise  the  reel 
will  revolve  faster  than  the  line  pays  out  through  the 
guides  and  a  backlash  will  result. 

The  whole  philosophy  of  the  thing  is  in  educating  the 
thumb  to  regulate  the  reel  speed  and  out-running  of  the 
line.  Finally,  when  the  cast  has  been  made  and  the  line 
is  being  reeled  in,  care  must  be  taken  to  wind  it  evenly 
on  the  reel.  Of  course,  at  the  end  of  the  cast  when  the 
bait  reaches  the  water  the  rod  is  shifted  from  the  right 
hand  to  the  left  so  that  the  right  hand  may  be  used  on 
the  reel  handle.  So,  for  winding  the  line  evenly  on  the 
reel  spool  in  the  retrieve,  guide  it  with  the  thumb  of 
the  left  hand,  grasping  the  rod  above  the  reel  with  that 
hand.  Casts  of  from  sixty  to  eighty  feet  are  quite  suf- 
ficient for  good  fishing. 

In  the  overhead  cast  the  rod  is  brought  directly  back 
over  the  shoulder,  taking  care  not  to  allow  it  to  go  too 
far  down  behind,  and  then  swung  quickly  forward. 
Otherwise  the  principles  are  the  same  as  for  the  side 
cast.  The  overhead  cast  should  be  started  rather 
slowly,  increasing  in  force,  and  the  line  released  when 
the  rod  tip  is  about  over  the  caster's  head.  The  rod 
should  be  so  held  that  when  the  line  is  running  out  the 
side  plates  of  the  reel  are  parallel  with  the  water,  with 
the  handle-bar  on  top. 


BAIT-CASTER   AND    BASSES  85 

Some  Practical  Suggestions 

When  bait-casting  for  bass  with  an  artificial  bait, 
unless  you  reel  in  so  quickly  that  the  line  is  practically 
taut,  the  fish  must  be  struck  much  as  in  fly-fishing.  It 
sometimes  happens,  of  course,  that  the  bass  will  strike 
hard  enough  to  hook  himself  even  on  a  slack  line,  but 
more  often  the  opposite  is  the  case.  The  strike  in  bait- 
casting  is  one  of  the  things  which  must  be  learned  when 
taking  up  this  method  of  fishing.  Primarily  it  differs 
from  the  strike  in  fly-fishing  in  that  it  is  made  with  the 
left  hand,  that  is,  if  the  caster  is  right-handed.  The 
education  of  the  left  hand  to  this  work  is  a  matter  of 
much  practice  and  naturally  the  length  of  time  taken 
to  learn  it  depends  upon  the  skill  of  the  angler  in  get- 
ting the  fish  to  strike  as  well  as  upon  the  natural  adapt- 
ability of  the  angler  to  learning  new  methods  of  tackle 
handling.  It  is  quite  possible  for  an  angler  to  be  an 
expert  fly-caster  and  still  be  unable  to  educate  his 
thumb  to  bait-casting. 

When  casting  toward  a  fixed  point  where  a  bass  may 
be  located,  such  as  a  patch  of  lily  pads  or  rushes,  or 
the  edge  of  a  bar,  the  strike  of  the  bass  may  be  expected 
at  the  instant  the  bait  strikes  the  water.  For  this 
reason  the  angler  should  be  careful  to  start  the  retrieve 
at  once.  When  a  bass  strikes  in  this  manner  he  usually 
hooks  himself  if  the  line  is  at  all  taut.  Sometimes  a 
bass  will  see  the  bait  when  it  is  still  moving  through  the 
air  and  will  follow  its  course  to  the  point  of  contact 
with  the  water,  when  he  will  strike  it.  But  even  under 
these  circumstances  it  is  best  to  set  the  hook  in  the  fish, 
although  the  strike  need  not  be  strenuous. 


S6        THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

In  the  writer's  experience  more  bass  are  raised  and 
hooked  at  the  moment  the  lure  strikes  the  water,  or 
almost  immediately  thereafter,  than  when  the  bait  is 
being  reeled  or  trolled  in.  Certainly  a  good  bait-caster 
can  kill  more  bass  by  casting  any  certain  artificial  bait 
than  the  fisherman  who  trolls  the  same  bait.  It  is  the 
motion  and  impact  of  the  bait  upon  the  water  which 
arouses  the  fighting  blood  of  the  bass  and  causes  him 
to  rise  and  strike. 

Bass  as  a  rule  strike  an  artificial  lure  from  the  rear. 
Of  course,  when  the  bait  is  cast  to  one  side  of  the  fish, 
he  takes  advantage  of  the  fact  that  the  shortest  distance 
between  two  points  is  a  straight  line  and  strikes  from 
the  side.  But  when  the  bait  is  being  reeled  in  a  bass 
most  often  comes  to  it  from  the  rear.  It  is  for  this 
reason  that  moderately  slow  reeling  is  always  most 
successful.  If  the  lure  is  moving  at  too  great  speed 
short  rises  are  apt  to  occur,  and  if  the  bass  is  slightly 
pricked  it  is  not  at  all  probable  that  he  will  come  again. 
Pickerel,  it  should  be  noted,  almost  invariably  strike 
from  the  side,  and  here  again  slow  reeling  is  of  import- 
ance, for  a  clean  miss  frequently  results  when  the  bait 
is  moving  too  fast. 

When  a  bass  is  fastened  at  the  end  of  a  long  cast  the 
tendency  of  the  angler  is  to  hurry  him  in  to  the  boat, 
where  he  can  be  played  to  more  advantage.  This  often 
results  in  the  loss  of  the  fish.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  a  quadruple  multiplying  reel  is  of  lightning  speed, 
and  consequently  fast  cranking  is  not  only  unnecessary 
but  risky.  When  fishing  in  very  weedy  waters,  how- 
ever, It  is  often  a  case  of  speedy  reeling  or  the  loss  of 


BAIT-CASTER   AND   BASSES  87 

the  fish  in  the  weeds.  Here  the  situation  offers  only  a 
choice  of  evils,  and  the  balance  of  advantage  is  probably 
on  the  side  of  fast  reeling.  A  bass  can  imbed  himself 
in  a  mass  of  weeds  in  an  unappreciable  moment,  and 
you  will  then  often  lose  not  only  fish  but  tackle.  As  a 
general  rule,  however,  avoid  trying  to  lead  a  big  fish 
until  he  shows  an  inclination  for  being  led. 

It  sometimes  happens,  although  rarely,  that  a  bass 
will  follow  the  bait  until  it  is  almost  up  to  the  boat 
before  he  strikes  it.  This  is  a  situation  productive  of 
several  different  kinds  of  disasters,  unless  the  angler 
keeps  his  wits  about  him.  If  the  rod  is  perpendicular, 
or  nearly  so,  at  the  moment  the  bass  strikes,  a  smashed 
tip  is  liable  to  result  if  any  attempt  is  made  to  set  the 
hook.  The  chances  are  that  the  bass  has  hooked  him- 
self and  he  should  be  slacked  instead  of  struck  and  only 
slightly  restrained  until  he  is  in  a  position  where  he  can 
be  played  advantageously. 

Naturally  it  is  impossible  to  state  any  invariable  rule 
as  to  how,  when,  or  where  a  bass  will  strike.  Individ- 
ual fish  act  differently  under  like  circumstances  and 
bass  in  different  waters  vary  much  in  habits.  As  in 
trout  fly-fishing  it  is  the  often  unexpected  manner  in 
which  the  bass  makes  known  his  presence  that  affords 
one  of  the  principal  attractions  of  the  sport. 

When  the  Bloom  is  Off  the  Water 

Other  things  being  equal,  the  question  of  when  to 

go  is  quite  as  important  to  the  sportsman,  especially  the 

angler,  as  the  question  of  where  to  go.    No  matter  how 

well  the  sportsman  may  be  outfitted  in  the  matter  of 


88        THE   FINE  ART  OF   FISHING 

tackle  and  experience  and  how  wisely  and  well  he  may 
have  chosen  the  locality  for  the  sport  he  desires,  if  the 
question  of  the  proper  time  to  go,  the  season  of  the  year 
in  its  relation  to  the  habits  of  the  game,  is  not  duly  con- 
sidered the  trip  may  result  in  absolute  failure.  This  is 
particularly  true  as  regards  selecting  the  time  for  a 
bass  fishing  trip. 

In  most  States  the  open  season  for  black  bass  is  a 
very  long  one,  much  longer  than  for  brook  trout.  As 
a  general  thing  the  law  protects  the  bass  only  during 
the  spawning  season,  say  for  a  period  of  two  months, 
all  the  rest  of  the  year  being  open  season.  May  and 
June  are  the  usual  close  months,  and  at  any  other  time 
the  bass  may  be  legally  taken.  But,  notwithstanding 
the  length  of  the  open  season,  the  character  of  the  black 
bass  and  his  habits  are  such  that  the  occasions  distinctly 
favorable  for  bass  fishing  are  not  numerous  or  of  long 
duration.  Undoubtedly  the  black  bass  is  the  most 
fished  for  of  any  American  game  fish,  and,  undoubtedly, 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  fishermen,  the  annual 
catch  is  the  smallest.  This  is  because  not  every  man 
who  packs  a  fishing  rod  is  an  angler;  and  it  is  also  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  black  bass  is,  above  all,  the  great 
American  "vacation"  game  fish,  sought  for  very  largely 
as  a  mere  incident  of  the  summer  vacation,  the  number 
of  men  to  whom  the  bass  fishing  is  really  a  chief  object 
being  comparatively  small;  although,  of  course,  among 
anglers,  there  are  many  who  favor  bass  fishing  above 
all  forms  of  the  sport. 

Generally  speaking,  summer  fishing  for  black  bass  is 
not  overproductive.    This  is  due  to  a  number  of  causes 


BAIT-CASTER  AND   BASSES  89 

but  principally  to  the  fact  that  at  this  time  the  fish  are 
in  very  deep  water.  August,  especially,  is  a  very  poor 
month;  a  succession  of  still,  sultry  days  and  nights  is 
the  usual  thing  for  almost  the  entire  month.  By  day 
the  lake  or  river  lies  quiet  and  glassy  in  the  blazing 
heat  of  the  sun,  and  often  the  nights  in  the  full  of  the 
moon  are  nearly  day-light.  As  a  consequence  the  bass 
seek  the  coolness  to  be  found  only  in  the  deepest  water 
and  are  distinctly  off  their  feed.  Successful  bass  fish- 
ing under  such  conditions  should  not  be  expected,  and 
yet  it  is  probably  a  fact  that  more  bass  fishing  is  done 
in  August  than  in  any  other  month.  August  is  the 
generally  accepted  and  duly  accredited  American  vaca- 
tion month.  The  summer  bass  angler  who  confines  his 
fishing  to  the  early  morning  hours,  and  again  from  sun- 
down until  dark,  when  the  bass  run  into  the  shallows  to 
some  extent,  will  sometimes  have  fairly  good  sport. 
The  bait-caster,  especially,  fishing  early  and  late,  may 
have  fair  success.  But,  however  much  bass  fishing  is 
done  in  the  summer  time,  the  angling  at  this  time  is 
not  really  satisfactory. 

There  are  two  periods  in  the  year  when  bass  fishing 
is  at  its  best,  and  neither  of  them  is  of  long  duration. 
Weather  being  favorable,  the  first  two  or  three  weeks 
of  the  open  season,  when  the  bass  are  still  generally  in 
the  rather  shallow  water,  is  a  very  good  time  to  select 
for  a  bass  fishing  trip.  Bait-casting  and  fly-fishing  may 
then  be  depended  upon  for  making  good  catches  of 
either  large-  or  small-mouthed  bass;  the  bait-caster 
will  make  good  scores  with  either  surface  or  sinking 
lures,  and  the  fly-caster,  fishing  in  streams  known  to 


90        THE   FINE  ART   OF   FISHING 

furnish  good  bass  fly-fishing,  should  have  no  trouble  in 
connecting  with  a  satisfactory  catch.  But,  as  noted, 
this  favorable  time  is  rather  short,  the  bass  soon  moving 
into  deep  water  with  the  coming  of  the  true  summer 
weather.  Follow  then  some  six  or  seven  weeks,  the 
good  old  summer  time,  when  bass  angling  is  at  its 
worst  and  the  vacation  fisherman  at  his  best.  And  then 
comes  the  best  time  of  all  the  year  for  bass  fishing,  the 
first  few  weeks  in  the  fall,  while  the  weather  still  holds 
comparatively  warm,  but  the  water  has  grown  some- 
what cooler. 

At  some  time  during  the  summer,  the  exact  time  dif- 
fering with  the  locality,  every  bass  lake  begins  to 
"work"  or  "bloom";  that  is,  the  aquatic  vegetation 
growing  upon  the  lake  bottom  has  reached  maturity 
and  begins  to  throw  off  seeds.  In  a  short  time  the 
water  takes  on  a  milky  appearance,  is  almost  opaque, 
and  filled  with  floating  particles.  Naturally  fishing  is 
at  a  standstill.  Prior  to  this  time  also  almost  every  lake 
becomes  very  weedy,  the  weeds  eventually  reaching  the 
surface  of  the  water  along  shore  in  the  shallows  and 
often  coming  within  a  foot  or  two  of  the  surface  in 
water  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  deep. 

This  makes  the  bass  fishing  rather  more  like  raking 
hay  than  angling,  and  fishing  at  this  time,  especially 
bait-  or  fly-casting,  is  productive  principally  of  smashed 
tackle  and  lost  tempers.  Later  in  the  season,  however, 
the  lakes  cease  working,  and  the  water  clears;  the 
weeds,  too,  die  down  considerably.  With  weather  clear 
and  just  cool  enough  to  be  pleasant,  the  conditions 
generally  prevailing  in  the  early  fall,  with  water  also 


BAIT-CASTER   AND   BASSES  91 

clear  and  sufKcicntly  cool  to  bring  the  bass  again  into 
the  shallows,  it  would  appear  that  the  first  weeks  of 
autumn,  "when  the  bloom  is  off  the  water,"  are  a 
pretty  good  time  to  go  bass  fishing — in  fact,  the  very 
best. 

To  the  writer  it  seems  that,  above  all  other  methods 
of  angling  for  black  bass,  bait-casting  is  to  be  preferred 
both  for  sport  and  results  in  fall  fishing  for  bass.  In 
both  lakes  and  streams,  the  bass,  both  the  large-  and 
small-mouth,  as  above  noted,  are  now  in  the  shallower 
portions  of  lake  and  stream,  on  the  bars  and  in  the 
riffles,  a  condition  decidedly  favorable  for  bait-casting, 
particularly  so  to  the  bait-caster  who  prefers  the  use  of 
the  various  top-water  baits.  With  the  coming  of  cool 
water  the  fish  gain  a  new  lease  of  life,  an  accession  of 
activity  and  pugnacity,  and  are  not  at  all  the  same  fish 
which,  in  the  tepid  water  and  sultry  atmosphere  of 
July  and  August,  required  lengthy  and  super-skilful 
teasing  to  make  them  rise.  The  bait-caster  may  con- 
fidently rely  for  success  upon  any  of  the  accepted  cast- 
ing baits,  either  surface  or  sinking,  and  the  ordinary 
trolling  spoon  or  single-hook  fly-spoon,  used  in  the  same 
manner,  are  very  successful  in  the  fall  months.  The 
angler  should  look  for  his  fish  along  the  shelving  lake 
shores  and  on  the  bars,  and,  in  the  streams,  on  point, 
bar,  or  in  the  riffles. 

In  the  matter  of  tackle,  before  starting  out  for  a  bass 
fishing  trip  in  the  fall,  the  angler  who  has  done  more 
or  less  fishing  during  the  summer  should  carefully  test 
his  casting  line.  With  the  best  of  care,  it  has  been  the 
writer's  experience  that  the  unwatcrproofed  bait-cast- 


92        THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

ing  line  of  small  caliber  which  has  been  in  use  since 
the  opening  of  the  bass  season  is  not  to  be  trusted  when 
the  season  is  nearing  its  end.  It  should  be  carefully 
tested  and  the  weaker  portions  broken  off  until  you  have 
a  length  of  good,  strong  line,  or  a  visit  to  the  tackle 
dealer  is  rendered  imperative. 

A  weak  line  is  not  only  conducive  to  lost  fish,  but 
is  also  an  expensive  luxury  in  the  matter  of  snapping 
off  baits.  Also,  the  mental  poise  of  the  angler  who 
realizes  at  one  and  the  same  instant  that  he  has  on  the 
largest  bass  he  ever  saw,  and  that  he  has  him  on  a  rotten 
line,  is  not  at  all  conducive  to  the  calm  and  strategic 
handling  of  a  large  fish.  As  a  general  rule  it  is  well  to 
strengthen  the  tackle  at  all  points  for  fall  bass  fishing, 
for  at  this  time  one  is  more  apt  to  make  connections 
with  large  bass  than  at  any  time  during  the  season. 

Although  the  preference  of  some  anglers  would  cer- 
tainly be  for  bait-casting,  it  is  not  to  be  understood  that 
fly-fishing  is  at  a  discount  in  the  autumn.  The  con- 
trary is  true.  But  the  fly-caster  should  choose  for  the 
scene  of  action  some  well-known  bass  river,  rather  than 
a  lake.  As  a  general  rule,  with,  of  course,  the  usual 
exceptions  necessary  to  prove  it,  fly-fishing  for  bass  in 
lakes  is  not  ordinarily  a  success.  It  is  much  better  to 
select  some  wadable  river  where  you  can  go  about  it  in 
the  same  manner  as  trout  fly-fishing  is  usually  done.  A 
canoe  cruise  on  some  good  river,  with  bass  fly-fishing 
as  its  object,  in  the  fine  weather  prevailing  in  September 
and  October,  is  a  form  of  sport  hard  to  equal.  Since 
bait-casting  is  equally  effective  in  either  lake  or  river, 


BAIT-CASTER  AND   BASSES  93 

the  canoeist  may,  if  he  chooses,  depend  upon  his  bait- 
casting  rod  for  both  "grub"  and  sport 

The  fly-caster  who  has  done  most  of  his  casting  when 
wading  would  do  well  to  practice  casting  from  a  canoe 
before  starting  out  on  a  canoeing  trip  having  for  its 
object  bass  fly-fishing.  A  fact  not  generally  recognized 
IS  that  fly-casting  when  wading  and  fly-casting  from  a 
canoe  are  two  very  different  propositions — you  have 
only  to  try  it  once  to  admit  this.  It  does  not  here  seem 
advisable  to  discuss  the  technicalities  of  fly-casting  from 
a  boat  or  canoe;  it  should  be  noted,  however,  that  one 
of  the  most  important  things  is,  when  a  cast  has  been 
made  and  in  the  retrieve,  to  keep  a  taut  line  from 
water  to  rod  tip  by  stripping  in  the  line  through  the 
guides  with  the  left  hand.  It  is  also  a  good  plan  not 
to  use  your  trout  fly-rod,  unless  it  is  a  very  strong  one, 
for  bass  fishing.  The  fine  little  trout  rod,  adapted  to 
fly-casting  in  small  streams,  is  ineffective  and  certain 
to  be  damaged  if  used  much  for  bass  fishing.  The 
analogy  between  handling  a  quarter-pound  brook  trout 
and  a  two-pound  small-mouthed  bass  is  not  at  all  too 
close  for  comfort. 

The  angler  planning  a  trip  for  the  fall  months  should 
remember  that,  while  the  days  are  sure  to  be  comfort- 
ably warm,  the  nights  are  apt  to  be  uncomfortably 
cool,  and  he  should  add  to  his  summer  camp  kit,  divers 
sweaters,  blankets,  etc.  Also  the  fact  that  at  this  time 
It  is  permissible  to  kill  waterfowl  and  upland  game 
should  not  be  overlooked,  and  a  small-bore  rifle  or  a 
shotgun,  the  former  preferable  from  the  canoeist's 
point  of  view,  may  add  acceptably  to  the  bill  of  fare. 


94        THE    FINE   ART   OF    FISHING 

The  camera,  too,  should  be  taken  along,  for  although 
one  may  not  record  the  beautiful  color  schemes  of  an 
autumn  day,  one  can  still  make  better  photographs 
than  in  mid-summer. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE    NAMAYCUSH,    THE    MASCALONGE 
AND  OTHERS 

THE  Great  Lakes  trout  or  namaycush  trout, 
Cristivomer  namaycush,  and  the  mascalonge, 
Esox  masquinongy,  are  the  "big  game"  fishes  of 
the  sweet-water  angler.  Of  the  two  the  mascalonge  is 
undoubtedly  the  better  game  fish  but,  unfortunately, 
far  less  widely  distributed  than  the  lake  trout.  The 
mascalonge  also,  as  a  surface  fish,  that  is,  for  the  most 
part  inhabiting  the  fairly  shallow  water  along-shore 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  weed  beds,  may  be  fished  for  with 
more  sportsmanlike  tackle  and  methods  than  are  practi- 
cable in  the  case  of  the  namaycush,  the  latter  being  es- 
sentially a  deep-water  fish.  Fishing  for  "lakers,"  how- 
ever, when  done  rightly,  is  far  from  being  poor  sport; 
but  the  angler  to  get  any  appreciable  results  must  know 
his  fish  and  the  way  to  fish  for  them.  Lake  trout  fish- 
ing is  quite  unlike  any  other  form  of  angling.  Many 
lakes  and  ponds  containing  lake  trout  in  abundance 
have  been  fished  for  years  by  anglers  for  bass,  pike,  or 
pickerel  without  so  much  as  a  strike  from  a  laker. 

95 


96        THE   FINE  ART   OF   FISHING 
Deep-trolling  for  the  Great  Lakes  Trout 

The  angler  for  black  bass  or  brook  trout,  or,  for  that 

matter,  the  canoeist  or  hunter — anyone  who  elects  the 

early  fall  for  his  outing — ^would  do  well 

Autumn  ^Q  include  among  the  possibilities  of  his 
^*  trip  a  try  for  lake  trout.  The  necessary 
additions  to  the  general  outfit  are  not  at  all  bulky  or 
numerous,  and  where  good  fishing  for  lake  trout  may 
be  had — and  this  is  the  case  in  numerous  localities,  par- 
ticularly in  Maine,  Canada,  the  Adirondacks,  the  Berk- 
shires,  and  many  other  regions  identified  with  the  sports 
of  hunting  and  fishing — the  results  are  such  as  to  ren- 
der the  trouble  of  selecting  and  carrying  the  requisite 
tackle  quite  inconsiderable;  moreover,  while  of  a  very 
special  sort,  the  tackle  for  lakers  is  a  matter  of  little 
expense. 

The  range  of  the  Great  Lakes  trout,  the  name  having 
reference  to  the  Great  Lakes  and  not,  as  some  anglers 
and  angling  writers  seem  to  understand 
^  *  it,  to  the  size  of  the  fish,  is  given  by 
Jordan  and  Evermann  as  follows:  "The  namaycush 
trout  is  found  in  most  large  lakes  from  New  Brunswick 
and  Maine  westward  throughout  the  Great  Lakes 
region  and  to  Vancouver  Island,  thence  northward  to 
Northern  Alaska,  Hudson  Bay,  and  Labrador.  It  is 
known  from  Henry  Lake  in  Idaho  and  elsewhere  in  the 
headwaters  of  the  Columbia.  It  is  known  also  from 
the  Eraser  River  basin,  from  Vancouver  Island,  and 
various  places  in  Alaska." 

The  lake  trout  is  so  highly  and  justly  appreciated  as 


NAMAYCUSH   AND    OTHERS  97 

a  food  and  game  fish  that  it  is  now  artificially  propa- 
gated by  both  Federal  and  State  hatcheries  and  the 
range  has  accordingly  increased  far  beyond  its  original 
limits.  Stocking  waters  with  lake  trout  is  usually  very 
successful  and  few  if  any  failures  to  obtain  results  are 
reported.  In  every  case  known  to  the  writer  where 
the  stocking  was  carefully  and  intelligently  done  the 
results  have  been  entirely  satisfactory.  The  lake  trout 
is  a  hardy  fish  and  its  growth  is  fast,  especially  when 
planted  in  lakes  not  previously  having  these  fish,  since 
in  such  waters  food  is  very  abundant. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  many  of  the  "big  trout" 
stories  industriously  circulated  every  year,  particularly 

fish  tales  from  Maine  and  Canada,  are 
l3ig    1  rout   founded  upon  the  more  or  less  skilful  and 

authentic  capture  of  a  good-sized  lake 
trout  on  trolling  tackle  and  not  upon  the  taking  of  a 
brook  trout,  fontinalis,  on  the  fly.  Of  course,  in  the 
waters  of  Maine  and  Canada,  some  very  large  brook 
trout  are  taken  quite  frequently  by  fly-fishermen,  trout 
running  from  three  to  six  pounds  and,  far  less  fre- 
quently, heavier  than  that. 

Anglers  who  specialize  on  lake  trout  fishing  con- 
sider a  six-pound  fish  a  small  one.  Anglers  who  spe- 
cialize on  fly-fishing  for  brook  trout,  it  goes  without 
saying,  do  not  consider  a  six-pound  fish  a  small  one. 
Consequently,  if  you  are  a  worthy  and  hard-working 
fly-caster  with,  as  yet,  a  two-pound  trout  as  your  record 
fish,  do  not  be  unduly  shocked  when  a  friend  reputedly 
not  over-skilful  in  angling  affairs  writes  you  from  the 
North  Woods  that  he  has  captured  an  "eight-pound 


98         THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

trout."  In  every  case  where  the  catch  is  simply  hazily 
reported  as  "a  trout''  it  is  well  to  examine  the  facts 
before  bestowing  possibly  unearned  laurels.  In  some 
localities  the  lake  trout  is  called  "togue,"  and  in  others 
it  is  variously  known  as  *  lunge"  (very  easy  to  confuse 
with  the  mascalonge),  "tulade,"  "gray  trout,"  "Macki- 
naw," "laker,"  and  "salmon  trout."  The  lake  trout 
should  never  be  called  a  "salmon  trout"  for  the  reason 
stated  in  the  following  paragraph. 

The  lake  trout  is  a  charr,  not  a  salmon  trout,  having 

the  characteristic  lack  of  teeth  on  the  front  of  the  bone 

in  the  roof  of  the  mouth,  this  being  the 

ine  JNamay- j^Qg^  striking  difference  in  formation  be- 

cush  a  Charr.  ,       ,  111 

tween  the  charr  and  the  salmon  trout. 

The  lake  trout  is  a  charr,  a  large  and  coarse  one  to  be 
sure,  when  compared  with  the  more  familiar  and  finer- 
grained  speckled  brook  trout,  but,  nevertheless,  a  charr. 
If  your  trout  has  teeth  on  both  the  front  and  rear  of 
the  roof  of  the  mouth  it  is  a  salmon  trout;  if  only  on 
the  rear  of  the  mouth  it  is  a  charr. 

Occasionally  the  lake  trout  attains  a  very  large  size, 

sometimes  over  one  hundred  pounds ;  but  thirty  pounds 

may  be  safely  stated  as  the  heaviest  fish 

Average  ^j^^  angler  may  hope  for.  Lake  trout 
weighing  between  twelve  and  twenty- 
five  pounds  ane  taken  quite  commonly  where  the  fishing 
is  ordinarily  good,  but  the  average  weight  of  fish  taken 
by  anglers  is  in  the  vicinity  of  eight  pounds. 

The  head  and  mouth  of  the  namaycush  are,  pro- 
portionately, quite  large,  and  the  head  Is  depressed,  that 
is,  rather  flat.     The  tail  is  deeply  forked.     In  colora- 


NAMAYCUSH    AND    OTHERS  99 

tion  It  is  ordinarily  a  rather  dark  gray,  marked  pro- 
fusely with  spots  of  a  lighter  tinge.    The 
Formation    j^g^j  jg  marbled,  or  vermiculated,  like 

^  1^     J.'        the  back  of  the  brook  trout.  Occasionally 
Coloration.    ,  ,    ,    ,       -n   i  ,  i.  , 

the  spots  on  the  body  will  show  a  reddish 

shade.  Generally  speaking,  the  lake  trout  is  a  handsome 
and  well-formed  game  fish,  the  larger  specimens  having 
length  in  proportion  to  girth.  A  fifteen-  or  sixteen- 
pound  fish  will  measure  about  thirty-two  inches. 

It  is  said  that  the  lake  trout  early  in  the  spring 

comes  into  the  shallows  for  a  period  of  a  few  days 

when  it  may  be  taken  on  ordinary  light 

bunace  tackle.  However  this  may  be — and  the 
^*  writer  is  inclined  to  believe  that  this 
period  must  be  very  short  indeed  and  that  in  some  lakes 
it  does  not  occur  at  all — angling  for  lakers  is  done 
almost  entirely  by  deep-trolling.  Also  it  is  a  fact  that 
the  early  season  excursion  of  the  namaycush  to  the  sur- 
face waters  is  quite  apt  to  take  place  before  fishing  for 
them  may  be  done  legally.  In  lakes  where  early  fishing 
for  lakers  on  the  surface  and  in  the  shallows  is  an 
accomplished  fact  they  may  be  taken  on  the  fly  as  well 
as  by  trolling.  Successful  surface  fishing  is,  however, 
a  pretty  rare  thing,  and  it  does  not  seem  advisable  to 
consider  it  here  to  any  extent.  For  trolling  heavy  bass 
tackle  will  answer  the  purpose;  and  for  fly-fishing  a 
fly-rod  suited  to  large  stream  and  bass  fly-fishing,  say 
a  ten-foot,  seven-ounce  rod,  will  be  right.  On  this  rod 
you  should  use  forty  yards  of  enameled  line,  size  E,  on 
a  single-action  reel.  Flies  dressed  on  sproat  hooks 
numbers  six  and  four  will  be  sufficiently  large,   and 


loo       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

good  flies  for  lake  trout  are:  royal  coachman,  Parma- 
chene  belle,  Montreal,  and  silver  doctor. 

The  lake  trout  is  essentially  a  deep-water  game  fish, 
habitually  seeking  the  very  deepest  portions  of  its  habi- 
tat.    It  should  be  trolled  for,  therefore, 

^     _^^f         in  w^ater  running  from  fifty  to  one  hun- 

tO   Fish.  1        ,      r      .  •         1         U  £        11 

dred  leet  or  over  m  depth,  preferably 
where  the  bottom  is  rocky,  and  off  rocky  reefs  extend- 
ing down  into  deep  water.  This  being  the  case,  it  is 
not  difficult  to  understand  why  anglers  for  bass  and 
other  fish  never  strike  a  namaycush,  and  also  why  tackle 
of  a  very  specialized  sort  must  be  used  in  lake  trout 
fishing.  In  mid-summer  another  good  place  to  "work*' 
is  in  the  vicinity  of  the  spring-holes.  Almost  every  lake 
has  its  resident  fisherman  or  fishermen — gentlemen  of 
infinite  leisure  and  obscure  habits  who  "live  oflE  the 
lake"  by  fishing  and  guiding — who,  for  a  suitable 
stipend,  will  reveal  to  you  the  geography  of  the  lake 
bottom  as  regards  its  bars,  reefs,  spring-holes,  etc.,  mat- 
ters of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  angler  for  lake 
trout. 

As  for  the  practical  side  of  deep-trolling,  the  matter 

of  tackle,  there  are  two  methods  in  general  use.     You 

can  use  either  a  hand-line  with  a  heavy 

fV     w  sinker  or  you  can  employ  a  metal  line, 

which  sinks  sufficiently  deep  by  its  own 
weight,  on  a  fairly  heavy  trolling  rod.  The  former 
method  is  distinctly  the  less  sportsmanlike  and  desir- 
able. The  latter  method,  only  recently  introduced, 
makes  ^  much  better  sport  of  lake  trout  fishing  than  it 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS        loi 

has  ever  been  before.  In  detail  the  tackle  for  these  two 
methods  of  fishing  is  as  follows: 

For  trolling  with  the  hand-line — in  which  manner  it 
IS  to  be  regretted  the  greater  share  of  lake  trout  fishing 
IS  still  done — you  will  need  a  twisted  linen  line  of 
twenty-one  or  twenty-four  threads  at  least  two  hun- 
dred feet  in  length.  The  line,  it  should  be  stated,  must 
be  of  rather  large  caliber  in  order  to  prevent  its  cutting 
the  hands  when  in  use.  Cut  off  eighteen  or  twenty  feet 
of  the  line  at  one  end  and  tie  in  a  triple  action  or  "three- 
way"  swivel  at  the  point  of  cutting.  To  the  third 
swivel  tie  about  fifteen  feet  of  line  somewhat  weaker 
than  the  main  line ;  this  is  for  the  sinker  and  it  must  be 
weaker  than  the  main  line  so  that  if  the  sinker  is  fouled 
the  sinker  line  will  break  rather  than  the  main  line. 

Use  a  swiveled  dipsey  sinker  of  four  to  eight  ounces 
according  to  the  depth  of  water.  The  bait  and  ar- 
rangement of  hook  or  hooks  will  be  the  same  as  for 
use  on  a  metal  line  and  will  be  discussed  in  a  later 
paragraph.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  tie  the  sinker  to  the 
line  in  such  a  manner  that  when  the  fish  has  been  led 
in  close  enough  to  the  boat  the  sinker  line  may  be  taken 
into  the  boat  and  the  sinker  instantly  and  easily  removed 
from  the  line  by  a  single  pull.  Any  simple  jam-knot 
will  make  this  possible. 

The  better  method  of  deep-trolling  consists  in  using 

fifty  to  one  hundred  yards  of  braided  copper  wire  line 

,  -.  ,  on  a  trolling  rod  of  suitable  weight  and 

Metal  Line.    ,.        .  t    .u-  -j     • 

dimensions,    in  this  way  you  avoid  using 

the    heavy    sinker — a    thorough    spoil-sport — necessary 

with  the  linen  line  as  the  weight  of  the  metal  line  sinks 


I02       THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

it  sufHciently  deep.  This  line  is  made  of  a  number  of 
fine  strands  of  copper  wire  braided  over  a  silk  core 
and  should  not  be  confused  with  the  inferior  solid  cop- 
per wire  lines.  The  braided  copper  line  spools  well 
on  the  reel,  does  not  easily  kink,  and  even  if  the  latter 
does  occur  is  not  liable  to  part  at  the  kink,  no  one  of 
which  things  may  be  said  for  the  ordinary  solid  copper 
line.  Braided  copper  line  may  be  had  in  fifty-yard 
spools  and  in  two  sizes,  E  and  F,  of  which  the  smaller 
is  the  best  to  use  in  lakes  of  moderate  depth.  Size  E 
should  be  used  in  very  deep  waters. 

A  reel  is  made  and  sold  generally  by  the  tackle  deal- 
ers that  is  particularly  adapted  to  deep-trolling  with 

copper  lines  of  the  sort  described  above. 

This  reel  is  single  action  and  supplied 
with  a  strong,  reliable,  and  easily  manipulated  drag; 
it  is  made  of  metal  and  is  of  large  diameter  in  order 
that  each  revolution  of  the  spindle  may  take  up  a  good 
quantity  of  line.  With  solid  copper  lines — inferior,  as 
above  stated,  to  those  of  braided  copper — ^large  wooden 
reels,  the  same  as  used  in  commoner  forms  of  salt- 
water fishing,  are  generally  used.  The  metal  reel 
described  in  this  paragraph  is  far  superior  to  the  wooden 
reel  and  should  by  all  means  be  employed  for  the  sort 
of  angling  under  discussion.  Of  course,  any  reel  of 
large  size,  either  double-  or  quadruple-multiplying,  may 
be  used.  These  last,  however,  if  large  enough  to  hold 
seventy-five  to  one  hundred  yards  of  size  F  braided  cop- 
per line  and  of  good  quality,  are  rather  expensive.  The 
single-action  metal  reel  recommended  herein  is  quite 
inexpensive  and  also  quite  good  enough  for  the  purpose. 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS        103 

It  being  taken  for  granted  that  deep-trolling,  in  all 
probability,  will  be  indulged  in  only  occasionally  as  a 
foil  to  your  fly-  or  bait-casting. 

In  the  matter  of  the  rod  any  good  trolling  rod  with 
a  stiff  backbone  will  answer  the  purpose.  Its  length 
may  be  from  seven  to  eight  and  a  quar- 
ter feet,  and  its  material  bethabara,  split- 
bamboo,  or  steel.  The  lancewood  rod  is  excepted  be- 
cause this  material  is  apt  to  be  too  whippy.  The  reel- 
seat  should  be  above  the  handgrasp.  The  guides  of  the 
rod  should  be  fairly  large  to  allow  the  line  to  run 
freely.  German  silver  trumpet  guides  are  the  best  for 
the  purpose.  The  rod  should  weigh  from  eight  to  nine 
ounces  and,  as  noted,  should  have  considerable  back- 
bone in  order  to  handle  the  heavy  metal  line,  without 
strain.  A  "Henshall'*  casting  rod  in  bethabara  or 
split-bamboo  and  weighing  eight  or  nine  ounces  will  be 
a  very  good  one  for  the  purpose. 

The  leader  and  arrangement  of  hooks  and  bait  are 
the  same  in  both  methods  of  deep-trolling  with  either 
linen  or  copper  lines.  Leaders  of  fine 
steel  wire  are  used  to  some  extent,  but 
are  hardly  necessary.  A  leader  of  either  double-  or 
triple-twisted  gut  is  quite  strong  enough  for  the  pur- 
pose and  is  preferable  in  a  good  many  ways  to  one  of 
metal.  To  each  end  of  the  leader  should  be  attached 
a  clew-spring  swivel  for  connection  with  the  line  and 
the  trolling  gang  or  artificial  bait.  One  or  two  extra 
leaders  should  be  carried  in  a  soak-box. 

For  use  with  the  natural  minnow  regular  lake  trout 
trolling  gangs  are  sold  by  the  tackle  dealers  consisting 


I04       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

generally  of  three  burrs  or  triple  hooks  and  a  lip-hook 
on  gut.  This  number  of  hooks  is  neither 
atura  imperative  or  sportsmanlike  and,  at 
most,  it  is  best  to  use  not  more  than  the 
lip-hook  and  one  treble.  The  gang  should  be  tied  on 
double  gut.  The  natural  minnow  is  the  very  best  bait 
for  lakers,  and  the  minnows  should  be  large,  from  five 
to  seven  inches  in  length.  Brook  "shiners"  are  the 
most  effective.  Sometimes  when  it  is  difficult  to  obtain 
minnows  large  enough  small  suckers  are  used,  but  these 
are  not  ordinarily  very  successful.  I  have  even  known 
of  small  brook  trout  being  sacrificed  for  the  purpose  of 
trolling  for  lakers.  It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  con- 
demn this. 

In  some  localities  it  is  difficult  to  obtain  minnows  in 
sufficient  quantity  or  large  enough  for  lake  trout  troll- 
ing and  in  such  case  resort  may  be  had 

/^tificial  ^Q  various  artificial  baits.  Artificial  baits 
are  not  as  successful  with  the  namaycush 
as  the  natural  minnow,  but  many  good  lakers  are  taken 
on  them.  One  of  the  best  artificials  f.or  lake  trout  is 
known  as  the  "silver  soldier."  This  is  a  minnow  made 
of  German  silver,  simply  a  flat,  curved  piece  of  metal 
cut  in  minnow-shape  and  fitted  with  a  single  hook.  A 
number  of  trolling  spoons  are  adapted  to  lake  trout 
fishing  and  the  best  of  these  are  the  ones  which  do  not 
revolve  in  the  manner  of  the  orthodox  trolling  spoon 
but  play  from  side  to  side  when  drawn  through  the 
water.  When  deep-trolling  it  is  often  impracticable 
to  keep  the  boat  moving  fast  enough  to  get  sufficient 
spin  on  the  ordinary  trolling  spoon.     It  is  also  practi- 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS        105 

cable  to  use  the  wooden  bait-casting  minnows  or  phan- 
toms.    Fairly  large  trolling  spoons  should  be  used. 

A  very  necessary  item  in  the  kit  of  the  angler  for 
lake  trout  is  a  good  strong  gaff;  The  smaller  trout, 

from  four  to  six  pounds,  may  be  safely 

landed  in  a  large  landing  net,  if  the 
frame  and  handle  of  the  net  are  strong  and  the  net 
itself  strongly  woven  and  firmly  attached  to  the  frame, 
but  for  the  larger  fish  a  gaflE  is  practically  imperative. 
On  one  lake  where  the  writer  trolled  for  lakers  the  local 
talent  used  frog  spears  in  place  of  gaffs — four-pronged 
affairs  something  like  a  small  pitchfork.  It  was  some- 
what amusing  and  rather  exciting  to  listen  to  the 
ensuing  conversation  in  case  a  poorly  hooked  trout  was 
knocked  off  the  hook  when  the  fisherman  jabbed  him 
with  the  "grains"  and  the  weapon  failed  to  hold.  On 
no  account  use  one  of  the  murderous  "patent"  spring 
gaffs.  If  It  is  desired  to  mount  the  fish  as  a  trophy  the 
gaff  should  not  be  used.  The  best  alternative  in  case 
neither  net  or  gaff  is  at  hand  and  if  the  fish  is  a  large 
one,  is  to  shoot  it  through  the  head  with  a  twenty-two 
pistol  or  rifle. 

Deep-trolling  requires  one  man  at  the  oars  and  an- 
other to  handle  the  rod.    The  boat  should  always  move 

slowly  in  order  that  the  line  may  run 
r^cticai     sufficiently  deep  and  the  progress  of  the 

boat  should  be  at  an  even  pace.  When 
trolling  with  the  hand-line  the  angler  should,  from  time 
to  time,  "feel  bottom"  with  the  sinker  to  be  certain  that 
he  is  fishing  in  the  proper  depth  of  water.  As  above 
noted  the  trolling  should  be  done  along  the  deep  chan- 


io6       THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

ncls,  over  spring-holes,  and  where  the  bottom  is  rocky. 

When  a  fish  is  struck  it  should  not  be  hurried  into 
the  boat  but  played  in  gradually.  As  a  usual  thing, 
particularly  when  a  hand-line  is  used,  the  lake  trout 
will  do  most  of  his  fighting  after  being  brought  within 
sight  of  the  boat.  It  will  then  make  swift  rushes  from 
side  to  side  or  again  bore  steadily  down  into  deep 
water.  At  such  times  line  should  be  freely  given  the 
trout,  not  reeling  in  again  until  the  fish  stops  running 
or  sounding.  The  fish  should  never  be  landed  until  it 
is  thoroughly  played  to  a  finish — a  namaycush  of  good 
size  if  prematurely  taken  into  the  boat  while  it  is  still 
full  of  fight  will  make  things  exceedingly  interesting  for 
the  occupants  of  the  craft. 

The  method  of  deep-trolling  with  metal  lines,  with 
certain  variations  of  tackle  to  suit  the  occasion,  may  be 
used  for  other  game  fishes  than  the  namaycush  in  the 
summer  months  when  the  hot  weather  has  driven  most 
of  them  to  the  deep  water — and  used  with  success. 

The  Mascalonge,  Pike,  and  Pickerel 

Of  the  pike  family  (Esocidae)  three  members  claim 
the  attention  of  anglers,  namely,  the  mascalonge,  Esox 
masquinongy,  the  pike,  Esox  lucius,  and  the  Eastern 
pickerel,  Esox  reticulatus.  In  England,  pike  fishing  is 
far  more  popular  than  in  America.  Of  the  three  fishes 
mentioned  the  mascalonge  is  the  only  one  which  receives 
the  serious  attention  of  the  American  angler,  and  even 
this  fine  game  fish,  owing  to  its  somewhat  restricted 
range,  is  well-known  and  regularly  fished  for  by  com- 
paratively few  anglers.     Probably  the  most  accessible 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS        107 

place  for  the  Eastern  angler  who  wishes  to  have  a  try 
at  the  mascalonge  is  Chautauqua  Lake  in  New  York 
where  the  unspotted  mascalonge,  Esox  ohiensis,  is  some- 
what abundant. 

Undoubtedly  were  it  not  for  the  black  bass,  a  game 
fish  unknown  to  the  English  angler,  fishing  for  the 
various  members  of  the  pike  family,  particularly  the 
mascalonge  and  Great  Lakes  pike,  would  be  far  more 
popular  in  this  country  and  more  seriously  undertaken, 
quite  as  much  so  as  in  England.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  mascalonge,  of  course,  the  pike,  and  even  the  pickerel 
are  worthy  of  any  angler's  steel.  But  the  extensive 
range  of  the  large-  and  small-mouthed  black  bass,  and 
their  undoubted  game  qualities,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
various  species  of  brook  trout,  serve  to  relegate  the  pike 
and  pickerel  to  the  class  of  less-desirables,  while  the 
comparative  scarcity  and  inaccessibility  of  good  masca- 
longe waters  tend  to  keep  this  fish — by  many  considered 
the  gamest  and  the  finest  fish  of  American  fresh-waters 
— in  the  background. 

Although  individually  the  most  important  members 
of  the  pike  family  differ  greatly,  treated  collectively, 
their  habits  are  much  the  same.  All  are  shoal-water 
fishes,  "using"  principally  in  the  weed  beds  along-shore 
and  on  the  bars  of  lake  or  river;  all  are  habitually  and 
most  destructively  piscivorous,  always  seeking  whom 
they  may  devour.  Owing  to  the  similarity  of  habits 
angling  for  mascalonge,  pike,  or  pickerel  differs  intrin- 
sically more  in  means  than  in  ways — the  methods  em- 
ployed are  quite  similar,  the  tackle  varying  to  suit  the 
occasion  and  the  quarry. 


io8       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

Scientific  details  concerning  the  range,  formation, 
coloration,  and  other  matters  dealing  with  the  natural 
history  of  the  pike  family,  have  been  very  fully  given  in 
almost  every  angling  book,  while  the  more  practical 
phase  of  the  subject,  the  question  of  methods  and  tackle, 
has  not  been  so  completely  treated.  For  this  reason  it 
would  seem  well  to  confine  the  present  discussion  prin- 
cipally to  the  ways  and  means  of  fishing  for  the  masca- 
longe  and  its  lesser  relatives  in  preference  to  rehearsing 
again  the  already  thoroughly  detailed  nature  and  life 
histories  of  the  game  fishes  mentioned. 

For  either  mascalonge,  pike,  or  pickerel — it  seems  a 
little  improper  to  thus  class  the  pickerel,  or,  for  that 
matter,  the  pike,  with  the  mascalonge,  but  the  fact 
remains  that  they  are  "birds"  of  the  same  feather — 
still-fishing  is  little  done  by  those  who  understand  the 
game.  It  is  far  better  to  fish  exclusively  by  casting  or 
trolling.  The  boat,  when  trolling,  should  be  worked 
so  that  the  bait,  either  artificial  or  natural,  plays  along 
from  three  to  six  or  eight  feet  outside  the  line  of  weeds 
or  rushes,  and  it  is  not  necessary  that  the  spoon  qr 
minnow  be  fished  at  any  considerable  depth ;  surface  or 
near-surface  fishing  is  the  rule  with  any  of  these  fish  as 
they  will  all  rise  freely  on  seeing  the  bait. 

When  casting,  the  boat  should  travel  parallel  with 
the  margin  of  the  weed  beds,  from  forty  to  eighty  feet 
away — it  depends  somewhat  upon  the  skill  of  the  caster 
and  the  method  o^f  casting — and  the  bait  should  be  cast 
in  so  as  to  fall  at  the  proper  distance  from  the  weeds, 
taking  pains  not  to  cast  so  far  in  as  to  become  fouled 
in  the  weeds  or  so  far  away  from  them  as  to  render  it 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS        109 

problematical  whether  the  fish  will  see  the  bait.  In 
either  case  as  soon  as  a  fish  is  hooked  the  boatman  should 
make  it  a  point  to  keep  the  boat  in  deep  water ;  the  fish 
should  always  be  played  away  from  the  weeds. 

Mascalonge  weighing  over  twenty  pounds  have  been 
taken  on  five-ounce  split-cane  bass-casting  rods,  using  a 
small  caliber  bait-casting  line  and  a  light  quadruple 
multiplying  reel  with  a  small  sized  single-hook  casting 
spoon  for  the  lure.  On  the  other  hand  mascalonge 
anglers,  as  a  rule,  do  not  belong  to  the  light-tackle  brig- 
ade; hand-lines  or  heavy  steel  rods  equipped  with  line, 
reel,  and  spoon  correspondingly  large  and  weighty  seem 
to  be  the  rule.  The  average  angler,  possessing  average 
skill  in  tackle-handling  and  an  average  sense  of  the  due 
proportions  of  things,  together  with  a  modicum  of  in- 
sight as  to  the  difference  between  angling  and  pot-fish- 
ing, will  do  well  to  strike  a  happy  medium. 

For  either  casting  or  trolling  for  mascalonge  a  good 
grade  split-bamboo  rod,  from  seven  to  eight  feet  three 
inches  in  length,  weighing  from  eight  to  nine  ounces, 
will  answer  the  purpose,  always  provided  it  is  handled 
with  the  necessary  dexterity.  The  rod  should  be 
equipped  with  trumpet  guides  of  German  silver,  or  steel 
wire  guides,  using  preferably  agates  for  the  hand-  and 
tip-guides;  the  reel-seat,  having  one  of  the  numerous 
forms  of  locking  attachments,  must  be  above  the  hand- 
grasp. 

For  trolling,  a  double-multiplying  reel  should  be  used 
as  it  has  more  winding-in  power  than  a  quadruple  mul- 
tiplier, but  for  casting  a  four-multiplier  is,  of  course, 
imperative.      The   trolling   line   may   well   be   water- 


no       THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

proofed,  but  for  casting  an  undressed  line  must  be  used, 
size  E  or  F  for  mascalonge  and  large  pike,  size  G  for 
pickerel.  For  pickerel  the  rods,  reels,  and  lines  used 
for  bass  bait-casting  and  trolling  are  right. 

Baits  of  exceedingly  various  sorts  are  used  for  masca- 
longe and  pike,  minnows  natural  and  artificial,  frogs, 
spoons,  and  spinners,  and  some  of  the  floating  baits  for 
bass,  the  last  made  larger  and  stronger  for  mascalonge 
fishing,  but  the  most  effective  are  a  large  natural  min- 
now or  a  common  trolling  spoon  size  four  or  five.  A 
steel  wire  leader  should  always  be  used.  Gimp  leaders 
rot  inside  and  will  smash  without  warning  visible  to 
the  angler.  In  case  a  spinning  bait  is  used,  such  as  the 
Archer  spinner  with  minnow,  frog,  or  pork-rind,  use  a 
swivel  gang  composed  of  six  or  eight  medium  sized 
bronze  barrel  swivels,  or  a  trolling  "keel"  or  "coin" 
sinker,  the  last  being  a  round,  flat  sinker  the  size  and 
shape  of  a  five-cent  piece  which,  when  bent  on  the  line, 
forms  a  keel  that  effectually  prevents  the  line  from 
twisting  and  kinking.  Another  device  to  prevent  line- 
kinking  is  known  as  the  "Pilot";  this  may  be  used  also 
to  cause  the  bait  to  run  at  will  on  the  surface  or  con- 
siderably submerged. 

As  both  mascalonge  and  pike  are  very  large  fish  it 
IS  necessary  to  use  a  gaff  in  landing  them.  If  the 
writer  is  not  greatly  mistaken  he  has  more  than  once 
seen  the  common  pickerel,  fairly  large  as  these  fish  run 
on  the  average,  leap  on  a  practically  slack  line,  although 
tactics  of  this  sort  are  not  ordinarily  ascribed  to  this 
fish.  It  is  fairly  well  known  that  the  mascalonge  is  a 
"jumper  from  Jumperville."    Sportsmen  are  apt  to  dis- 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS        iii 

agree  as  to  the  proper  rod  move  to  make  when  a  game 
fish  takes  the  air.  The  preponderance  of  experience 
and  advice  suggests  the  advisability  of  slightly  lowering 
the  rod  tip.  Usually,  unless  the  angler  is  very  cool  and 
also  a  rapid  thinker  with  a  very  swift  reaction  from 
brain  to  hand,  the  fish,  salmon,  black  bass,  or  musky  as 
the  case  may  be,  is  back  in  the  water  before  the  angler 
makes  any  counter  play  at  all.  However,  it  is  always 
best  to  ease  a  leaping  fish  back  into  the  water  by 
slightly  lowering  the  tip.  When  a  fish  leaps  far  away 
from  the  boat,  lowering  the  tip  is  perfectly  useless  as 
there  is  always  a  long  belly  in  the  line  and  the  move- 
ment of  the  rod  does  not  carry  through. 

Anglers  often  find  it  difficult  correctly  to  differen- 
tiate a  large  pike  from  a  mascalonge  (in  some  cases, 
possibly,  because  the  wish  is  father  to  the  thought),  or, 
say,  an  unusually  large  pickerel  from  a  pike.  The 
following  key,  quoted  from  Dr.  James  A.  Henshall, 
will  afford  the  means  of  rightly  identifying  and  dis- 
tinguishing the  most  fished-for  members  of  the  pike 
family. 

"The  mascalonge  has  the  upper  part  of  both  the 
cheeks  and  gill-covers  scaly,  while  the  lower  half  of 
both  cheeks  and  gill-covers  is  naked ;  it  has  from  seven- 
teen to  nineteen  branchiostegal  rays  ( the  branchiostegals 
are  the  rays  on  the  under  side  of  the  gill-cover,  that,  like 
the  ribs  of  an  umbrella,  assist  in  opening  and  closing 
It  during  breathing).  Its  coloration  is  of  a  uniform 
grayish  hue,  or  when  marked  with  spots  or  bars  they 
are  always  of  a  much  darker  color  or  shade  than  the 
ground  color. 


112       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

"The  pike  has  the  cheeks  entirely  scaly,  but  only  the 
upper  part  of  the  gill-cover,  the  lower  half  being  naked; 
it  has  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  branchiostegal  rays;  its 
coloration  is  a  bluish  or  greenish  gray,  with  elon- 
gated or  bean-shaped  spots  covering  the  sides,  which 
are  always  of  a  lighter  hue  than  the  ground  color. 

"The  Eastern  or  reticulated  pickerel  has  both  the 
cheeks  and  gill-covers  entirely  covered  with  scales;  it 
has  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  branchiostegal  rays;  its 
coloration  is  shades  of  green,  with  sides  of  golden  lus- 
ter, and  marked  with  dark  reticulations,  mostly  hori- 
zontal. It  is  rarely  or  never  found  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies." 

The  Ouananiche  and  Land-locked  Salmon 

The  Atlantic  salmon,  Salmo  salar,  has  two  land- 
locked relatives,  the  "land-locked  salmon"  proper, 
Salmo  sehago,  and  the  ouananiche,  Salmo  ouananiche. 
Many  experienced  anglers  believe  that  there  is  no 
essential  difference  between  the  Sebago  salmon  and  the 
ouananiche,  or  between  these  two  and  the  sea  salmon. 
However  this  may  be — and  the  authorities,  Jordan  and 
Evermann,  who  some  years  ago  thus  classified  them 
("for  the  present")  have  not  as  yet  published  a  con- 
trary opinion — it  is  not  of  extreme  importance  to  the 
angler;  the  fact  remains  that  both  the  land-locked  sal- 
mon and  the  ouananiche  are,  as  game  fishes,  in  the  very 
first  flight. 

The  land-locked  salmon  is  found  in  many  of  the 
lakes  of  Maine  and  by  fish  cultural  operations  its 
range  is  constantly  increasing.     It  was  originally  de- 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS        113 

scribed  from  Sebago  Lake.  Fly-fisbing  for  land-locked 
salmon  may  be  had  at  Grand  Lake  Stream  in  Maine, 
and,  for  the  ouananiche,  at  the  Grand  Decharge  of  the 
Saguenay  River  which  flows  from  Lake  St.  John,  Pro- 
vince of  Quebec,  Canada.  In  Grand  Lake,  other 
Maine  lakes,  and  in  Lake  St.  John  the  fishing  is  chiefly 
done  by  trolling. 

For  either  fly-casting  or  trolling  for  land-locks  and 
ouananiche  heavy  trout  tackle  is  suitable,  although 
where  the  fish  run  large  a  grilse  rod  may  be  used. 
Land-locked  salmon  taken  by  trolling  in  lakes  weigh 
from  eight  to  twenty  pounds.  Those  taken  by  fly-fish- 
ing in  streams,  as  in  Grand  Lake  Stream  and  at  the 
Grand  Decharge,  average  two  pounds  and  seldom  range 
over  five.  Small  sized  salmon  flies  are  generally  used. 
Latterly,  at  Grand  Lake  Stream,  dry-fly  fishing  for 
land-locks  has  been  tried  successfully  when  the  wet- 
fly  fishing  with  the  larger  flies  has  been  below  par. 

The  following  narrative  of  the  capture  of  a  land- 
locked salmon  on  fly-tackle  at  Grand  Lake  (by  the 
present  writer  considered  the  very  best  "fish  story"  he 
has  ever  had  the  pleasure  of  reading — for  which  reason 
the  somewhat  lengthy  quotation  is,  perhaps,  pardon- 
able), written  by  Mr.  Henry  Wysham  Lanier  and 
published  in  The  Outing  Magazine,  July,  1903,  under 
the  title  of  *The  Gamest  Fish  That  Swims,"  will 
afford  the  best  possible  idea  of  the  character  of  the 
land-locked  salmon,  when  taken  in  running  water,  or 
of  the  ouananiche,  and  of  the  tackle  and  methods  em- 
ployed. The  reader  particularly  interested  in  the  land- 
locked salmon  and  the  ouananiche,  should  not  fail  to 


114       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

read  the  entire  article  of  which  only  a  small  part  is  here 
quoted. 

"  *Now,  den,  just  give  two,  tree  cast  in  de  cunal 
first,*  said  Peter  the  Dane. 

*'It  was  half-past  five  of  a  June  morning — ^June  by 
the  calendar,  early  April  by  the  cold  blast  that  swept 
down  out  of  the  north  across  the  lake.  Peter  had  put 
together  the  stiff  five-and-a-half  ounce  bamboo,  care- 
fully soaked  out  a  six-foot  single  leader,  and  rigged  up 
a  cast  of  a  Jock  Scott  and  a  professor  on  number  five 
Sproat  hooks.  On  the  reel  were  seventy-five  yards  of 
waterproof  silk  line,  size  E,  as  the  rod  had  plenty  of 
backbone  and  casting  in  such  a  wind  needed  all  the 
helps  possible. 

"I  stepped  up  to  the  canal,  a  thirty-foot  runway 
from  the  lake  which  once  fed  the  abandoned  saw-mill, 
and  cast  down  the  gently  eddying  stream.  When  I  had 
gotten  out  thirty  or  forty  feet  of  line,  working  the  flies 
lightly  across  the  surface  as  they  swung  with  the  cur- 
rent, Peter  grunted  approval. 

"  *I  gass  you  do  ahl  right.    We  go  out  in  de  cunoe.* 

"I  may  not  have  mentioned  the  fact  that  Peter  is  a 
guide  of  unusual  intelligence;  his  knowledge  of  lures 
and  of  the  baffling  habits  of  the  Salmonidae  is  unex- 
celled; nor  is  his  horizon,  by  any  means,  bounded  by 
fish.  We  stepped  simultaneously  into  the  canoe  and 
into  an  atmosphere  of  good  fellowship. 

"A  few  strokes  of  the  paddle  sent  us  out  to  the  line 
of  triangular  log  cribs  marking  the  hundred-yard  limit 
above  the  dam,  within  which  only  fly-fishing  is  per- 
mitted; and,  tying  up  to  a  buoy  in  eight  or  ten  feet 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS        115 

of  water,  we  swung  around  with  the  wind  to  a  north 
and  south  position  not  more  than  fifty  yards  from  the 
tumbledown  dock  that  lined  the  shore  along  the  head 
of  the  canal. 

''The  lately  risen  sun  shone  brightly,  except  when 
a  mass  of  gray-white  clouds  drove  across  it;  the  waves 
tossed  the  little  cedar  canoe  airily  up  and  down;  on 
the  rising  shore  the  fresh  green  of  the  white-stemmed 
birches  stood  out  sharply  against  the  dark  spruce  trees, 
the  feathery  blue-green  of  the  pines,  and  the  rusty 
yellow-green  of  the  young  cedars  and  alders.  A  wild 
duck  and  her  fluffy  brood  paddled  about  furtively  be- 
neath the  bushes  fringing  the  shore  two  hundred  yards 
away;  in  the  cleared  spaces  on  the  bank  sleek  robins, 
with  aldermanic  vests  of  red  and  inquisitive  yellow 
beaks,  hopped  about  among  the  buttercups  and  daisies 
and  wild  roses ;  while  a  song-sparrow  poured  out  a  full- 
throated  trill  from  a  neighboring  fence-post. 

"It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  these  beauties 
of  nature,  the  Indian's  shack  cresting  the  bare  hill,  the 
group  of  little,  unpainted  dwelling  houses,  and  the 
dozen  forlorn,  uniform,  empty  gray  cabins  where  once 
lived  the  workers  in  the  deserted  tannery — even  the 
sky-piercing  brick  chimney  itself,  such  a  strange  sight 
in  the  deep  woods — made  but  a  vague  impression  upon 
my  senses.  For  when  Piscator  has  been  casting  flies  in 
imagination  only,  for  eleven  months  from  a  revolving 
office  chair,  he  is  not  to  be  diverted  by  such  trifles  from 
his  first  lust  of  fish. 

"I  began  to  cast  out  toward  the  shore,  tip  well  down 
to  the  water  each  time  on  account  of  the  wind.    After 


ii6       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

covering  the  leeward  semi-circle  fifteen  or  twenty  times, 
my  inexperience  fancied  that  region  tested  of  salmon; 
no  trout  or  bass  fisherman  would  have  bothered  with  it 
longer;  but  since  Peter  made  no  sign  I  kept  on  casting. 
When  the  inevitable  slackness  of  interest  had  drawn  my 
eyes  to  the  two  canoes  by  the  outlet,  the  occupants  of 
which  were  switching  away  as  industriously  as  my- 
self, something  happened — and  heart  came  into  mouth 
with  a  leap;  for  as  the  flies  jiggled  in  over  the  tossing 
water  there  was  a  boil  and  swirl  by  the  dropper,  not 
twenty-five  feet  away,  and  a  simultaneous  exclamation 
from  behind:  *Don't  leave  it;  cast  again.  Dat  excite 
him  when  de  fly  come  again.' 

"Shortening  the  cast,  I  sent  the  flies  hastily  and 
awkwardly  ten  feet  beyond  the  danger  signal.  Hardly 
had  they  begun  to  come  in  when  there  was  a  sudden 
commotion;  an  instinctive  'strike'  met  a  line  taut  and 
suddenly  endowed  with  life;  and  the  little  rod  bowed 
its  acknowledgments  at  the  meeting. 

"First  came  a  mad  rush  to  one  side,  and  after  giving 
the  mysterious  visitor  all  the  line  that  had  been  stripped 
with  the  left  hand,  I  snubbed  him,  in  order  to  have  a 
feel  of  him.  The  result  was  immediate  and  surprising. 
Three  feet  into  the  air  came  a  twenty-inch  bow  of  sil- 
ver, flashing  in  the  morning  sun  as  the  salmon  tried  to 
shake  himself  free.  Down  went  the  tip,  but,  with  the 
training  of  the  black  bass  fisherman,  I  tried  to  cant 
him  to  one  side  and  upset  him  before  he  could  shake 
himself. 

"'Don't  do  dat!'  called  watchful  Peter.  *De  sal- 
mon mout'  is  tender.     You  can't  treat  him  lak  black 


NAMAYCUSH   AND   OTHERS         117 

bass.  Drop  de  tip  straight  toward  him  and  den  tighten 
up  de  Instant  he  touch  de  water.' 

"As  he  spoke,  out  came  his  royal  highness  again,  and 
the  rod  dropped  to  greet  him,  for  that  spring  and  lash- 
ing out  against  a  taut  line  must  mean  either  a  lost  fish 
or  a  broken  tip. 

"  *A  good  fish,'  said  Peter  the  Dane.  *T'ree  pound 
strong.' 

"And  indeed  it  was  the  strongest  three  pounds  the 
little  rod  had  ever  tried  conclusions  with.  Hardly 
had  he  touched  the  water  and  the  pressure  been  resumed 
when  he  was  into  the  air  once  more,  so  far  away  that 
the  eye  almost  refused  to  believe  it  the  same  fish. 
When  he  reached  the  surface  this  time  he  danced  ten 
feet  away  on  his  tall,  disappeared  with  a  swoop  that 
set  the  reel  to  singing  a  valkyr's  shriek,  and  was  out 
twice  more  in  rapid  succession,  somersaulting  till  the 
air  seemed  full  of  salmon. 

"These  acrobatic  displays  and  the  continued  strain 
of  the  sturdy  bamboo  were  taking  the  edge  off  his  fierce- 
ness. A  dozen  feet  of  the  line  came  onto  the  reel  before 
he  fairly  realized  any  compulsion.  *What,  done  al- 
ready?' But  at  that  instant  the  reel  handle  began  to 
revolve  the  other  way  and  no  other  answer  was  needed. 
Around  the  canoe  he  dashed,  the  line  cutting  through 
the  water  with  that  swish  so  dear  to  the  heart  of  the 
angler.  A  little  snubbing  brought  him  up  for  the  fifth 
leap,  and  then  followed  darts  and  rushes  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  savage  tugs  and  shakes  and  borings  down- 
ward, and  circus-like  gallops  round  and  round,  while 


ii8       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

his  burnished  sides  sent  up  old  gold  flashes  through  the 
clear  but  dark-colored  water. 

"  *Keep  de  butt  down/  cautioned  my  mentor.  *Don*t 
never  give  him  straight  rod  excep'  when  he  jump,  and 
den  put  strain  on  him  again  right  off/  and  Peter 
leaned  toward  me,  almost  whispering  in  his  anxiety. 

"There  had  been  considerable  strain  on  him  already, 
judging  from  the  feel  of  my  wrist,  but  I  let  him  have 
the  full  curve,  and  in  a  few  minutes  more  this  began  to 
take  effect.  Slowly  reeling  in  and  fighting  for  every 
yard,  the  fish  was  brought  within  ten  feet  of  the  canoe ; 
then  the  sight  of  us  and  the  net  started  him  oif  again, 
and  it  was  all  to  do  over.  Gradually  he  was  forced 
toward  us,  swinging  in  and  out  time  after  time,  till  at 
last  he  lay  for  a  breathless  instant  within  three  feet  of 
the  gunwale,  getting  up  courage  for  another  spurt. 
With  a  dexterous  sweep,  Peter  brought  the  landing  net 
up  behind — and  his  salmonship's  next  wild  struggles 
were  against  its  meshes  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe. 

"It  was  a  beautiful  creature  that  threw  itself  fran- 
tically about,  flopping  from  side  to  side,  bending  double 
and  lashing  out  with  surprising  strength,  and  springing 
violently  into  the  air,  net  and  all.  About  twenty  inches 
long,  stocky  and  well-rounded,  but  perfectly  propor- 
tioned, with  savage  head  and  jaws,  he  seemed  built  for 
doughty  deeds  and  the  strenuous  life.  His  back  was  a 
rich  velvety  green,  lustrous  from  the  glistening  water 
and  covered  with  half-concealed  black  spots.  This 
color  gradually  shaded  into  a  lighter  tint,  merging  at 
the  median  line  into  a  silvery  coat  that  gleamed  rose- 
ate and  iridescent  in  the  sunlight." 


CHAPTER  VII 

FINE  AND  FAR-OFF  FISHING  AND  OTHER 
MATTERS 

FISHING  "fine  and  far-off"  is  a  phrase  rather 
over-worked  in  the  literature  of  fly-casting  and, 
moreover,  one  which  we  somewhat  rarely  see 
put  into  actual  practice  on  stream  or  lake.  The  rarity 
of  really  fine  and  far-off  fishing — the  words  being  ap- 
plicable only  to  fly-fishing,  and  more  especially  to  the 
act  of  casting  the  fly — is  easily  explained.  Far  casting 
demands  the  best  of  skill  and  tackle,  and  fine  fishing, 
in  addition  to  the  requirements  of  light  leaders  and 
small  flies,  calls  for  extreme  accuracy  and  delicacy  in 
laying  down  leader  and  flies  far-off  on  the  water.  To 
attain  to  fine  and  far  casting  and  fly-fishing  the  angler 
must  have  the  best  of  rods,  a  line  entirely  suited  to 
being  cast  by  that  rod,  leader  and  fly-snells  working 
well  together  and  both  in  keeping  with  the  line  in  use ; 
also  there  is  requisite  the  skill  in  casting  resulting  from 
long  practice  and,  it  must  be  admitted,  natural  ability 
in  that  direction.  Expert  fly-casting  is  natural  to  some 
men  just  as  skilful  wing-shooting  is  to  others.  So  we 
do  not  see  very  much  fishing  fine  and  far-off. 

119 


120       THE    FINE   ART   OF    FISHING 

The  everyday  fly-fisherman  contents  himself  with 
short-distance  casting  and  does  not  sufficiently  refine 
his  tackle  to  make  far-casting  possible,  even  if  his  wrist 
were  equal  to  the  occasion.  And  quite  often  the  man 
who  owns  the  finest  and  most  expensive  rods,  rods 
made  with  the  utmost  manual  skill  for  the  express 
purpose  of  better-than-average  fly-casting,  fishes  with 
bait.  It  is  not  often  that  we  find  an  angler  whose 
tackle,  skill,  stream  knowledge,  and  experience  are 
adequate  to  the  sort  of  casting  and  fishing  under  dis- 
cussion. And  yet  at  some  time  on  every  trout  stream, 
and  on  some  streams  at  all  times,  fine  and  far-casting 
are  imperative  for  success;  and  it  would  seem  that  no 
enthusiastic  fly-caster  should  rest  satisfied  with  his 
tackle  and  methods  until  both  have  been  brought  to 
the  point  where  long  and  delicate  casting  is  within  his 
power.  With  a  view  to  italicizing  the  fact  that  skilled 
rod  handling  and  discriminating  tackle  selection  have 
their  sure  reward,  certain  times  and  places  are  noted 
in  the  following  paragraphs  where  and  when  casting 
fine  and  far-off  is  either  advantageous  or  imperative. 

Generally  speaking,  the  time  when  a  long  line  and 
delicate  leader  and  flies  are  most  in  demand  is  in  the 
late  spring  and  summer;  not  always,  of  course,  even  at 
this  time,  because  the  stream  is  frequently  replenished 
by  rains.  But  when  very  low  and  crystal  clear  water 
prevails,  when  a  gut  leader  of  average  caliber  looks  on 
the  surface  of  the  water  or  beneath  it  like  the  Atlantic 
cable,  and  when  the  brook  trout,  poised  in  the  shallow 
riffles,  seem  to  see  the  angler  for  half  a  mile,  then  the 
man  who  can  compass  reasonable,  not  tournament,  long- 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF    FISHING       121 

distance  casts,  and  who  understands  and  appreciates  the 
killing  qualities  of  the  ephemeral  leader  and  the  almost 
infinitesimal  fly  is  in  his  element.  And  who  would 
deny  that  one  trout  taken  under  such  conditions,  by  vir- 
tue of  skilled  casting  and  fine  tackle,  is  worth  vastly 
more  than  a  dozen  taken  by  chuck-and-chance-it  short- 
line  casting  under  easier  circumstances? 

It  should,  however,  be  said  that  the  long  cast,  under 
dry  weather  conditions,  if  the  angler  will  keep  himself 
out  of  sight,  Is  not  so  important  as  the  use  of  small 
flies  and  fine  leaders.  A  friend  of  the  writer's  is  a  very 
successful  low-water  fisherman,  and  yet  I  do  not  think 
that  he  ever  put  out  over  forty  feet  of  line  in  his  life; 
but  when  the  stage  of  the  water  and  the  shyness  of  the 
trout  require  it  he  invariably  uses  midge  flies  and  the 
finest  of  fine  leaders,  in  the  employment  of  which  he 
IS  passing  skilful — and  keeps  out  of  sight.  I  have  seen 
this  angler  fish  through  a  meadow  where  no  brush 
screened  the  brook,  behind  two  other  fly-casters,  and 
come  out  with  several  good  fish  when  the  two  men 
who  preceded  him  took  nothing.  Progress  for  the  most 
part  on  "hands  and  knees,"  a  fine  and  long  leader,  and 
midge  flies  did  the  trick;  and,  by  the  way,  something 
besides  pile-driver  methods  are  necessary  if  you  would 
rise,  strike,  and  land  a  good  trout  on  a  midge.  Fre- 
quently, however,  keeping  out  of  sight  is  impossible,  or 
a  matter  of  too  much  difficulty,  and  then  long  casting 
is  the  only  thing. 

In  summer,  during  the  da)^  pool  fishing  Is  very  apt 
to  be  productive.  Then  the  trout  haunt  the  deep,  dark 
pools,  well  shaded,  or  the  reaches  of  equally  peaceful 


122       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

and  shady  still-waters.    To  fish  such  a  place  with  suc- 
cess demands  every  bit  of  skill  even  the 

bummer      veteran  fly-caster  can  command ;  to  the 

PoolFishmg,,      .  11  1       u       i: 

®  begmner    such    places    are    sloughs    of 

despond  rather  than  likely  trout  pools.  On  still  days 
the  surface  of  the  pool,  unruffled  by  any  breeze,  is  so 
smooth  and  quiet  that  the  disturbance  of  a  natural 
insect  falling  upon  it  is  very  appreciable ;  when  the  am- 
bitious but  unskilled  fly-caster  drops  his  cast  of  flies 
thereon  the  result  is  simply  a  tidal  wave. 

It  is  small  wonder  that  the  average  angler  passes  up 
the  quiet  pools  and  still-waters  as  unproductive — they 
are  so  except  to  the  man  who  through  years  of  stream 
experience  and  by  virtue  of  superior  casting  and  tackle 
can  really  fish  fine  and  far-off.  For  such  a  man  the 
pools  and  still-waters  hold  prizes  well  worth  the  utmost 
exercise  of  his  skill,  for  of  all  stream  localities  it  is  well 
known  that  the  deep  pool  and  the  dark  still-water  are 
most  apt  to  shelter  Leviathan.  Small  flies,  light  lead- 
ers, and  long,  light  casting  are  the  requisites  for  summer 
pool  fishing.  There  is  one  thing  more:  Keep  out  of 
sight.  Pool  fishing  in  general  and  the  use  of  dry-flies  in 
connection  therewith  have  been  discussed  elsewhere. 
Apart  from  summer  fly-fishing,  under  dry  weather 
conditions,  several  other  situations  will  occur  to  the 
experienced  angler  as  calling  for  a  long 

l^ishmg  the  jj^^  ^^^  accurate  and  delicate  handling. 

Swift    Pooh  ^  .  ^  ^  ^   r  w 

lo  revert  for  a  moment  to  pool  nshmg. 

It  may  be  said  that  a  large  pool,  in  the  average  rocky 

and  forest-margined  trout  stream,  at  all  times  requires 

far-casting  if  you  would  get  the  most  out  of  it — mean- 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF    FISHING       123 

ing  possibly  a  three-pounder.  Starting  to  cast  with 
two  things  in  mind,  that  many  times  the  pool  is  best 
fished  up-stream  and  that,  other  things  being  equal,  a 
short  line  is  always  safest,  the  angler  will  cover  all 
available  water  with  a  moderate  length  of  line,  and 
then,  picking  out  some  vantage-point  where  the  back 
cast  may  be  made  with  the  greatest  assurance  that  it 
will  not  hang-up,  he  will  whip  the  far-off  places  where 
his  stream  experience  hints  that  a  trout  may  be  lying. 

The  angler  of  limited  casting  ability  is  distinctly 
handicapped  when  it  comes  to  fishing  a  large  pool. 
Furthermore  it  is  a  fact  that  the  ability  to  get  out  a 
long  line,  although  with  entire  lack  of  delicacy,  and 
though  the  flies  hit  the  water  as  if  shot  from  a  rifle,  is 
far  better  than  not  to  be  able  to  handle  anything  but  a 
short  line;  for,  many  times,  the  character  of. the  pool 
will  be  such  that  distance  and  fair  accuracy  are  the  only 
requisites.  In  a  pool  of  broken,  swirling  water,  foam- 
covered  and  swift,  it  makes  little  difference  whether 
the  flies  come  down  lightly  or  not.  When  fishing  this 
sort  of  water  the  submerged  fly  is  the  proper  thing, 
and  the  situation  demands  only  the  ability,  by  strong- 
arm  methods  or  in  any  other  way,  to  get  out  the  line 
far  enough. 

Fly-fishing  for  trout  is  usually  and  properly  asso- 
ciated with  swift  and  rocky  streams.  We  are  told  by 
the  scientists  that  the  nature  of  the  brook 

liisning        trout  requires  highly  aerated  water  such 

Streams  ^^  ^^^  typical  trout  stream  with  its  al- 
ternating rifl^es,  rapids,  and  falls  affords. 
But  the  experienced  fly-caster  can  doubtless  remember 


124       THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

the  time  when  his  flies  were  cast  over  the  waters  of  some 
sluggish,  dark-bottomed  stream,  almost  currentless,  and 
cast,  possibly,  with  success.  It  is  a  fact  that  trout 
streams  of  this  sort  are  quite  common,  and  usually  the 
trout  therein  are  uncommonly  large,  although  they  may 
not  be  very  numerous.  Such  streams  are  many  times 
found  in  swamps  or  running  through  cleared  fields 
adjacent  to  swampy  lowlands.  Here  again  fine  and 
far  casting  is  at  a  premium. 

Usually  such  streams  are  suited  to  fly-casting  only 
where  they  run  through  clearings  and  meadow  lands, 
where  the  banks  afford  no  ambush  and  the  surface  of 
the  water  is  smooth  and  quiet.  It  is  necessary  to  stand 
well  away  from  the  bank  and  swing  a  long  line  to  reach 
the  best  of  the  water  without  alarming  the  fish,  and  the 
flies  and  leader  must  fall  "straight"  and  without  the 
suspicion  of  a  splash.  Over  water  of  this  sort  the 
retrieve  should  be  made  slowly,  even,  at  times,  allow- 
ing the  flies  to  become  wholly  submerged ;  otherwise 
there  is  too  much  fuss  made  on  the  water  in  bringing 
in  the  fly. 

Casting  from  a  canoe  or  boat  over  the  quiet  waters 
of  a  lake  is  another  situation  calling  for  expert  hand- 
ling of  rod  and  line.  Except  on  extra- 
Casting  irom  ordinary  occasions  the  angler  who, 
within  reason  and  without  neglecting 
good  water  more  easily  fished,  can  cast  farthest  from 
the  boat  will  be  most  successful.  Here,  as  in  all  long- 
distance casting,  the  thing  to  remember  is  not  to  carry 
the  rod  too  far  backward  on  the  back  cast.  The  rod, 
as  before  noted,  should  not  go  back  much  beyond  the 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF   FISHING       125 

perpendicular;  the  thing  to  aim  for  Is  a  high  back  cast. 
Successful  fly-casting  fine  and  far-off  requires,  how- 
ever, something  more  than  the  ability  to  get  out  a  long 

line  and  lay  it  down  straight  and  softly. 

•  u^^     T^       The  angler  must  be  able  to  strike  his 

J  .  ^trout    without    over-many    misses    and 

also  to  play  him,  both  at  the  end  of  a 
long  line.  Consistently  successful  striking  at  long  dis- 
tances is,  in  addition  to  the  usual  requirements  of  quick 
eye  and  snappy  wrist,  purely  dependent  upon  a  taut 
line.  An  actually  taut  line,  however,  is  not  possible 
when  distance  casting;  more  or  less  sag  Is  bound  to 
occur  in  proportion  to  the  rate  at  which  the  line  is 
stripped  in  and  the  backward  motion  of  the  rod.  Strik- 
ing, when  a  long  line  is  out,  should  therefore  be  done 
with  more  force,  quicker  than  when  using  a  short  line. 
The  backward  motion  of  the  rod  must  first  take  up 
the  slack  line  before  sufficient  draw  is  imparted  to  the 
hook  to  set  it  firmly. 

Fly-fishing  fine  and  far-off  is  a  pretty  difficult  game 
to  play  successfully — a  game  of  skill  purely  and  one, 
moreover,  at  which  every  fly-fisherman  should  strive  to 
become  expert — in  spite  of  the  fact  that  in  this  respect 
the  expression  "many  are  called  but  few  are  chosen'' 
holds  true  as  well  as  in  any  other  branch  of  sport  in 
which  the  highest  form  of  skill  and  greatest  amount  of 
experience  are  required. 


126       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

Fly-   and    Bait-casting  for   Accuracy,    Delicacy, 
and  Distance 

These  are  terms  which,  while  very  familiar  to  tour- 
nament fly-  and  bait-casters,  are  seldom  heard  among 
anglers  in  general.  However  this  may  be,  with  the 
possible  exception  of  distance — and  that  this  at  times 
is  also  very  necessary  has  been  pointed  out — the  success 
of  the  bait-  or  fly-caster  in  actual  fishing  is  greatly  de- 
pendent upon  the  degree  of  skill  to  which  he  has  at- 
tained in  regard  to  these  three  casting  requisites. 

The  fisherman  who  can  only  approximately  reach 
the  spot  where  he  desires  to  place  a  bait,  or  who  so 
handles  a  cast  of  flies  that  they  drop  two 
^'  or  three  feet  away  from  the  point  aimed 
for  is  distinctly  handicapped.  In  both  black  bass  and 
trout  fishing  absolute  accuracy,  that  is,  accuracy  as 
far  as  it  may  reasonably  be  attained,  is  a  necessity  for 
the  very  simple  reason  that  both  bass  and  trout  are  so 
constituted  that  very  frequently  they  will  only  strike 
a  fly  or  bait  when  it  is  presented  to  them  in  a  certain 
way  and  in  a  certain  spot.  The  angler  for  large- 
mouthed  bass,  when  fishing  along  a  patch  of  water 
weeds  or  rushes,  has  ample  opportunity  to  verify  this 
statement.  He  finds  that  if  the  bait  drops  too  far  away 
from  the  rushes  or  too  close  to  them  the  bass  will  not 
rise.  For  success  the  bait  must  be  cast  so  as  to  strike 
the  water  at  a  certain  distance  from  the  weeds,  and 
the  allowance  for  deviation  is  very  slight. 

Frequently  when  bass  fishing  you  will  see  a  bass  jump 
within  casting  distance  from  the  canoe.     Then,  if  you 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF   FISHING       127 

can  immediately  drop  your  bait  plump  in  the  middle 
of  the  widening  circle  of  ripples,  the  bass  is  generally 
yours.  But  if  your  bait  strikes  only  somewhere  near 
the  place  the  chances  are  that  the  fish  will  stay  in  the 
water.  Also  it  is  often  necessary  when  the  bass  are 
lying  in  the  weeds  to  cast  the  bait  into  the  small  open- 
ings of  clear  water  that  are  found  here  and  there.  This, 
of  course,  is  when  the  weeds  have  grown  so  as  to  reach 
the  surface  of  the  water,  a  condition  which  prevails 
very  generally  during  the  summer.  However,  since 
under  these  conditions  it  is  most  often  necessary  for 
safety  in  landing  the  fish  to  use  a  rather  short  line, 
accuracy  in  this  particular  instance  is  not  difficult. 

In  fly-fishing  for  trout  accuracy  is  even  more  imper- 
ative than  in  bait-casting.  Time  and  time  again  the 
writer  has  experimented  in  regard  to  this.  It  is  an 
absolute  fact  that  at  times  a  trout  will  not  rise  if  the 
fly  varies  only  a  matter  of  a  very  few  inches  from  where 
he  wants  it.  The  fish  will  rise  when  the  fly  reaches  a 
certain  spot;  if  it  varies  almost  infinitesimally — say 
three  inches — the  fish  will  stay  down.  But  it  is  not 
only  in  this  regard  that  accuracy  in  casting  is  desirable. 
The  banks  of  most  of  our  best  trout  streams  are  more 
or  less,  generally  more,  wooded  and  brush-grown  and 
overhanging  branches  must  continually  be  taken  into 
consideration.  The  man  who  lacks  accurate  control 
over  his  line  both  in  the  forward  and  back  casts  is 
always  in  hot  water,  although  he  may  be  fishing  "the 
icy  waters  of  a  mountain  trout  brook." 

Delicacy  in  bait-casting  is  a  thing  attained  only  with 
much  practice.     An  artificial  minnow  or  spoon,  with 


128       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

from  seventy-five  to  a  hundred  feet  of  line  out,  is  bound 
to  hit  the  water  with  considerable  force. 
^*  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  this  as  a  rule 
does  not  alarm  the  fish.  But  in  fishing  very  shal- 
low water  along-shore,  or  in  reedy  river  coves  where 
the  water  is  not  deep,  care  must  be  taken  in  this  par- 
ticular. If  you  succeed  in  starting  the  minnow  toward 
the  rod  just  before  or  at  the  instant  it  strikes  the  water, 
reasonable  delicacy  results.  A  great  many  bait-casters 
are  careless  in  this  regard  with  the  natural  consequence 
that  their  success  is  not  phenomenal.  If,  at  the  end  of 
the  cast,  the  bait  lies  for  an  instant  motionless  and  dead 
on  the  water,  a  bass  whose  interest  has  been  aroused 
to  the  point  of  striking  will  usually  change  his  mind.  I 
have,  however,  several  times  seen  bass  strike  a  bait 
floating  "dead"  on  the  surface  while  the  angler  was 
arguing  with  his  reel  the  question  whether  a  backlash 
is  merely  a  misfortune  or  an  actual  calamity.  This,  of 
course,  is  very  exceptional ;  the  motion  of  the  lure  is  the 
factor  that  brings  the  strikes. 

In  fly-casting,  delicacy  to  a  certain  degree  is  not 
difficult  of  attainment.  Beyond  that  certain  degree, 
with  which  no  fly-caster  should  be  satisfied,  it  is  a  mat- 
ter of  no  little  difficulty  and  requires  years  of  stream 
experience  and  practice.  When  fishing  the  clear,  shal- 
low riflBes  of  small  streams  the  flies  must  drop  on  the 
water  with  the  lightness  of  the  proverbial  thistle-down. 
If  you  fail  in  this  you  will  see  the  trout  in  that  vicinity 
disappear  with  uniform  celerity.  It  is  when  casting  a 
long  line  that  the  veteran  fly-caster,  by  the  ease  with 
which  he  causes  the  flies  to  alight  straight,  delicately, 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF    FISHING       129 

and  far-off,  shows  his  title  to  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Angling.  An  equal  degree  of  skill  should  be  the  goal 
of  every  fly-caster. 

A  rising  motion  of  the  rod  just  before  the  flies  are 
about  to  alight  will  cause  them  to  land  quietly.  This 
motion  of  the  rod,  however,  must  not  be  sudden  or 
jerky,  but  must  be  graduated  with  nicety;  otherwise  the 
process  simply  results  in  ''snapping  the  whip'*  and  the 
flies  will  strike  the  water  with  even  more  than  ordinary 
force.  Another  factor  in  casting  for  delicacy  is  to  aim 
not  at  the  exact  spot  on  the  water  where  the  flies  should 
alight  but  at  a  point  in  the  air  four  or  five  feet  above 
the  spot.  This  will  cause  leader  and  flies  to  straighten 
out  in  the  air,  lose  in  a  measure  the  propulsive  force  of 
the  cast,  and  fall  with  all  necessary  delicacy. 

Distance  in  both  fly-  and  bait-casting,  although  at 

times  very  necessary,   is  generally  of  less  importance 

than   accuracy  and   delicacy.      It   is   an 

III  C^Q  tlO^ 

angling  axiom  that  the  more  line  you 
have  out  the  better  are  your  chances  for  failing  to  hook 
a  rising  fish,  or,  If  the  fish  is  struck,  of  eventually  losing 
him.  It  is  always  advisable  to  use  the  shortest  line 
permissible  under  the  circumstances.  By  so  doing  ac- 
curacy and  delicacy  are  more  easily  and  surely  attained, 
you  have  more  control  over  the  strike,  and  instant  con- 
trol over  a  fish  when  struck. 

The  chief  advantage  of  distance  comes  when,  owing 
to  the  natural  conformation  of  the  pond  or  stream,  or 
to  the  extreme  shyness  of  the  fish,  lengthening  out  is 
rendered  imperative.  The  practice  of  distance  casting 
is,  however,  of  distinct  ad^  antage,  for  the  reason  that 


I30       THE    FINE   ART    OF    FISHING 

the  man  who  can  skilfully  handle  a  long  line  can  still 
more  skilfully  handle  a  short  one.  The  angler  should, 
nevertheless,  never  allow  the  obsession  of  distance  to 
get  the  better  of  him.  Unless  you  have  a  very  natural 
aptitude,  gaining  distance  Is  rather  a  slow  process.  It 
Is  much  better  to  confine  yourself  to  the  correct  hand- 
ling of  moderate  casts  and  let  distance  take  care  of 
Itself.  In  due  time  a  fairly  long  line  comes  automatic- 
ally. 

How  to  Improve  the  Fly-rod 

Satisfactory  fly-casting  under  any  conditions  exacts 
the  finest  possible  adjustment  of  tackle  In  every  way; 
but,  chiefly,  the  rod  must  be  a  good  one  and  Its  furni- 
ture capable  of  giving  the  results  which  the  caster 
desires.  If  your  casting  to-date  is  not  as  good  as  it 
should  be  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  rod  is  at  fault. 
It  might  be  suggested  that  before  you  make  up  your 
mind  that  you  are  a  born  duf?er  at  the  game  you  first 
make  sure  that  the  tools  j^ou  have  been  using  are  suited 
to  it.  A  good  fly-rod  need  not  be  expensive,  while,  at 
the  same  time,  it  cannot  be  cheap.  Granted  that  the 
material  is  of  fairly  good  quality,  it  may  be  said  that 
effective  casting  depends  greatly  upon  the  style  of 
guides,  the  balance,  the  method  of  winding,  etc.,  things 
which  to  a  certain  extent  may  be  regulated  at  will 
without  going  to  the  expense  of  a  new  rod.  Buying  a 
fly-rod  is  always  a  pleasure  but  sometimes,  unfortu- 
nately, the  state  of  the  money  market  is  prohibitive. 

If  originally  the  rod  was  a  good  one  as  regards 
material,  of  carefully  selected  and  assembled  cane  if  the 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF    FISHING       131 

rod  Is  a  split-bamboo,  or  of  well-seasoned  bethabara, 
lancewood,  or  greenheart  If  a  solid-wood,  almost  any  old 
rod  may  be  made  pretty  nearly  as  good  as  new — In  many 
cases  much  better  than  new — by  Its  owner,  who,  more- 
over, need  not  be  a  mechanical  genius  or  the  proprietor 
of  a  machine  shop.  Ingenuity,  elbow-grease,  a  few 
simple  tools,  and  chiefly  a  knowledge  of  what  consti- 
tutes a  good  fly-rod  are  practically  the  only  essentials. 
Furthermore,  if  you  have  not  the  time  or  do  not  care 
to  do  these  things  yourself  It  will  be  of  advantage  to 
you  to  be  able  to  tell  the  professional  rod  maker  exactly 
the  things  you  wish  done. 

Often  a  rod  will  show  a  quality  of  whippiness  which 
was  not  suspected  when  the  rod  was  purchased.     Pro- 
vided you  are  not  an  advocate  of  the 
1  he  Vvnippy ^j^jppy  ^.^ j — ^j^^^.^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^i^y  are 

more  to  be  pitied  than  censured — with 
the  knowledge  that  you  have  on  your  hands  an  unsatis- 
factory tool  comes  the  realization  of  the  necessity  of  a 
new  rod  or  a  radical  improvement  in  the  present  one. 
The  extent  of  the  change  necessary  is  dependent  upon 
the  degree  of  softness  with  which  the  rod  is  afflicted. 
The  rod  repairer  in  this  particular  Instance,  if  the 
rod  Is  only  slightly  whippy,  will  remove  all  the  wind- 
ings and  replace  them  at  closer  intervals;  or,  possibly, 
the  addition  of  new  windings  between  those  already  on 
the  rod  will  do  just  as  well.  The  average  fly-rod  is 
wound  at  intervals  of  slightly  over  an  inch.  Windings 
at  only  one-half  Inch  will  stiffen  the  rod  appreciably. 
If,  however,  in  the  opinion  of  the  repairer,  the  extreme 
softness  of  the  rod   demands  more  radical   treatment 


132       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

resort  may  be  had  to  amputation.  In  the  case  of  the 
average  fly-rod,  consisting  of  three  joints  and  from  nine 
to  ten  feet  long,  at  least  one  inch  should  be  removed 
from  each  joint;  to  further  insure  successful  results  it 
might  be  well  to  put  on  additional  windings.  The  re- 
sulting difference  in  the  action  of  the  rod  is  very  great, 
while  the  loss  of  weight  is  so  slight  as  to  be  negligible. 

In  this  connection  it  should  be  added  that  winding 
the  rod  entirely  from  end  to  end,  called  solid  winding, 
should  not  be  done.  At  first  glance,  considering  the 
fact  that  additional  windings  stiffen  the  rod,  one  would 
naturally  conclude  that  the  solid  wound  rod  Is  a  very 
stlfF  one.  This  is  not  the  case,  however.  Solid  wound 
rods  tend  to  be  soft  rather  than  otherwise  and  the 
method  is  not  approved  or  followed  by  the  best  rod 
makers. 

The  angler  whose  ambition  lies  along  the  line  of 
distance  casting  will  find  that  he  can  easily  lengthen  out 
his  average  casting  by  replacing  the  rlng- 
bna  e  and-keeper  guides  with  which  his  rod  Is 
fitted  with  the  now  more  popular  and 
far  more  efficient  English  snake  guides.  The  old- 
fashioned  ring-and-keeper  guides  are  not  very  well 
adapted  to  shooting  the  line,  the  loosely  working  ring 
and  its  generally  small  aperture  causing  too  much  fric- 
tion. The  snake  guide,  as  in  the  case  of  much  fly-tackle, 
is  an  English  idea.  Their  stability  and  line  shooting 
adaptability  are  far  In  advance  of  the  ring  guides,  and, 
moreover,  the  snake  guides  measurably  facilitate  string- 
ing-up  the  rod  and  are  less  liable  to  become  bent  out 
of  shape.     Of  the  snake  guides  those  of  steel  are  best. 


FINE    AND    FAR-OFF    FISHING       133 

German  silver  is  also  a  good  material  but  inferior  to 
steel  for  the  reason  that  it  is  softer  and  the  line  soon 
wears  grooves  in  the  guides.  If  j^ou  wish  to  go  a  bit 
farther,  with  the  idea  of  having  the  rod  thoroughly- 
modern  and  efficient  in  the  matter  of  guides,  fit  it  with 
offset  agate  tip  guide  and  raised  agate  hand  guide. 
Then  if  you  do  not  do  good  casting,  you  certainly  can- 
not, provided  the  rod  itself  is  fairly  good,  ''blame  the 
gun." 

If  the  rod  is  heavy  in  hand,  it  may  be  made  a  sweeter 
rod  to  handle  by  removing  the  solid  metal  reel-seat  in 

favor  of  plain  reel-bands;  if  the  hand- 
Butt  and      grasp  is  of  wood  or  celluloid  a  further 
^    ,        ^  reduction  in  weight  may  be  effected  by 

fitting  a  solid  cork  grasp.  On  general 
principles  any  rod  which  has  a  handgrasp  of  cork  sheath- 
ing over  a  shaped  core  of  wood  may  be  made  a  much 
better  rod  by  the  substitution  of  a  solid  cork  grasp  in 
place  of  the  cheaper  and  far  less  durable  and  desirable 
grasp  of  thin  cork  over  wood.  The  solid  cork  grasp  is 
made  of  a  number  of  disks  of  solid  cork  fitted  over  a 
core. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  top-heavy  rod  may  be  made 
to  balance  much  better  by  simply  using  on  it  a  heavier 
reel.  The  slightly  top-heavy  rod  is  not  objectionable 
to  a  good  many  anglers,  and  often  a  rod  of  this  sort  is 
a  very  strong  caster.  The  famous  Castle  Connell  sal- 
mon rods  are  made  on  this  principle.  Such  a  rod  is, 
however,  apt  to  be  tiring  in  long  continued  casting,  and 
the  average  angler  prefers  a  well  balanced  rod  just  as 
a  rifleman  desires  this  quality  in  his  weapon. 


134       THE    FINE   ART    OF    FISHING 

If  the  rod  is  too  stiff  there  is  only  one  thing  to  do 
unless  you  are  an  expert  rod  maker,  and  barring  a  trip 
to  the  professional  rod  repairer,  and  that 
_  ^  is:  Use  a  heavy  line.  The  chances  are 
that  if  the  rod  does  not  weigh  over  five 
ounces  a  level  line,  size  E,  w^ill  bring  out  all  the  action 
desirable,  w^hile  a  line  of  size  F  or  G  may  fail  entirely 
to  do  so.  The  suitability  of  the  line  to  the  rod  upon 
vs^hlch  it  is  used  is  a  matter  v^hich  many  anglers  do  not 
sufficiently  consider.  To  state  the  extreme,  the  fly-cas- 
ter who  uses  on  a  three-and-a-half-ounce  fly-rod  a  line 
of  size  E  and  the  caster  who  uses  on  a  ten-foot  seven- 
ounce  rod  a  line  of  size  G  will  find  that  good  casting 
with  such  ill-assorted  tackle  is  impossible. 

A  heavy  line  is  too  burdensome  for  the  featherweight 
fly-rod;  in  fact,  if  the  angler  is  inclined  to  be  heavy- 
handed.  It  is  quite  possible  for  him  to  smash  the  rod  by 
attempting  to  use  a  too  heavy  line  upon  it.  Similarly, 
a  fairly  long  cast,  using  a  very  light  line  on  a  compara- 
tively heavy  rod,  is  not  possible;  the  line  must  have 
sufficient  weight  to  carry  it  through  the  air  in  response 
to  force  of  the  cast.  But  in  the  case  of  a  very  stiff  rod, 
the  weight  of  a  heavy  line  will  produce  much  more  snap 
and  bend  in  the  rod,  and  although  the  combination 
makes  the  work  rather  strenuous,  still  it  is  very  efficient. 
It  Is  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  such  an  outfit  would, 
however,  be  very  poorly  adapted  to  small  stream  work. 

The  repair  of  smashed  rods  does  not  properly  come 
under  the  subject  we  are  discussing — it  Is  fairly  obvious 
that  any  smashed  rod,  when  repaired,  is  considerably 
improved — but  the  best  way  to  cure  a  rod  that  has  ac- 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF    FISHING       135 

quired  a  more  or  less  decided  "set"  may  properly  be 

noted.     The  set  may  be  the   result  of 

The  Way      strain  or  warp,   the   first   due  to  over- 

T^i         J      burdening  the  rod  in  some  way  and  the 
a  Fly-rod.    ,  ^  •  1     •        u  •  u 

last  to  poor  material — in  which  case  a 

permanent  cure  can  hardly  be  effected — or  to  negli- 
gence. This  is  a  case  where  an  ounce  of  prevention  is 
sometimes  worth  six  ounces  of  good  fly-rod,  and  before 
noting  the  method  of  correction  it  might  be  well  to  set 
down  a  few  golden  rules  about  the  way  not  to  use  a 
fly-rod. 

In  the  first  place  since  the  fly-rod  forms  our  subject — 
although  most  of  these  suggestions  are  equally  applicable 
to  fishing  rods  in  general — it  should  be  said  that  the 
split-cane  rod  is  peculiarly,  often  fatally,  susceptible  to 
dampness,  and  that  consequently  every  precaution 
should  be  taken  in  this  regard.  In  camp  it  should  be 
taken  down  and  put  in  the  case  over-night  and  cer- 
tainly should  never  be  left  lying  on  the  ground  for  any 
length  of  time.  It  is  quite  possible  to  put  a  fine  split- 
bamboo  fly-rod  temporarily  or  even  permanently  out  of 
commission  by  allowing  it  to  lie  out  over-night  on  the 
ground.  Again,  to  avoid  warp,  the  rod  when  assembled 
should  never  be  leaned  against  a  support  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  bend  it.  If  left  for  a  sufficient  length  of 
time,  not  necessarily  a  very  long  time,  leaning  in  this 
way  the  bend  will  become  permanent.  Similarly,  when 
the  rod  is  unjointed,  the  individual  joints  should  not 
be  leaned  against  a  support  in  the  manner  noted,  for 
the  same  reason. 

The  remedy  and  the  method  of  prevention  for  warp 


136       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

or  set  are  quite  similar.  The  rod  which  has  acquired 
a  set  should  be  hung  up  by  the  tip  with 
'^f^^  ^1"^^"  ^  ^  weight  attached  to  the  butt,  provided 
the  set  runs  through  the  entire  rod;  if 
only  one  joint  is  affected  this  should  be  treated  in  the 
same  manner.  By  way  of  prevention  when  the  rod  is 
to  be  unused  for  a  long  time,  as  during  the  winter 
months,  suspending  each  joint  separately,  or  at  least 
the  tip  and  middle  joints,  is  by  far  the  best  way  of 
storing  it.  If  you  have  a  rod  and  gun  cabinet  it  is 
exactly  suited  to  the  purpose.  When  the  rod  is  sus- 
pended merely  as  a  matter  of  precaution  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  use  a  weight. 

The  man  who  makes  his  own  rods  certainly  derives 
more  pleasure  from  their  use  than  does  the  angler  who 
uses  a  ready-made  rod — this  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
professionally  made  rod  will  always  be  the  better  one 
unless  the  amateur  maker  is  very  expert  indeed.  In  due 
proportion,  there  is  more  sport  in  handling  a  rod  the 
efficiency  of  which  is  partly  due  to  your  own  tinkering 
than  in  using  one  upon  which  you  have  no  claim  for 
improvements. 

Strip-casting  for  Black  Bass 
If  you  have  never  learned  bait-casting  for  black  bass 
and  for  any  reason  do  not  care  to  take  up  that  method, 
a  very  good  substitute  and  a  very  efficient  angling 
method  may  be  found  in  strip-casting.  It  may  be  said 
with  truth,  also,  that  at  times  strip-casting  is  more  ef- 
ficient than  casting  from  the  reel,  whether  or  not  you 
have  mastered  the  use  of  the  short  bait-casting  rod  and 


FINE   AND   FAR-OFF   FISHING       137 

the  quadruple  casting  reel.  Variety,  too,  is  the  spice  of 
angling,  and  often  a  change  to  the  fly-rod — which  is 
used  for  strip-casting — is  quite  welcome  after  continued 
use  of  the  orthodox  short  casting  rod. 

Strip-casting  for  bass  is  adapted  to  both  river  and 
lake  fishing,  and  either  natural  or  artificial  baits  may 
be  used.  Since  the  advent  of  the  numerous  and  gen- 
erally very  successful  artificial  baits  as  the  result  of  the 
popularity  of  bait-casting,  these  are  most  used.  The 
chances  are  that  in  order  to  take  up  strip-casting  you 
will  have  to  buy  very  little  extra  tackle — that  is,  if  you 
are  a  fly-caster. 

The  fly-rod  is  used  for  strip-casting  because,  to  obtain 
the  best  results,  the  reel-seat  must  be  below  the  hand- 
_  grasp.    The  rod  should  not  be  less  than 

ten  feet  in  length — for  strip-casting 
purely,  a  ten-and-a-half-foot  rod  is  none  too  long,  but 
you  will  probably  wish  to  use  a  rod  which  may  also 
be  utilized  for  fly-casting.  As  the  cast  is  made  by 
shooting  the  line  through  the  guides  of  the  rod,  these 
should  be  of  a  style  which  will  allow  free-running  of 
the  line. 

A  fly-rod  to  be  specially  used  for  strip-casting  would 
be  best  rigged  in  the  matter  of  guides  by  using  fairly 
large  caliber  German  silver  trumpet  guides  with  agate 
hand  and  tip  guides.  If  your  fly-rod  is  fitted  with 
"snake"  guides,  these  will  answer  the  purpose.  The 
addition  of  the  agate  guides  is  very  desirable  in  either 
case.  A  bass  fly-rod  weighing  from  seven  to  eight 
ounces  is  best  adapted  to  strip-casting,  but  any  trout 
fly-rod  having  sufficient  backbone  may  be  used. 


138       THE    FINE   ART    OF    FISHING 

The  reel  may  be  either  a  single-action  or  a  double- 
multiplier  ;  the  quadruple  reel  may  also  be  used,  but  for 
certain  reasons,  such  as  lack  of  balance  on 
the  fly-rod  and  greater  liability  of  line 
fouling,  is  not  as  well  adapted  to  strip-casting  as  the 
reels  mentioned.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  reel  is  not 
necessarily  used  to  any  extent  in  strip-casting  except  to 
hold  the  line.  The  single-action  reel,  all  things  con- 
sidered, is  the  best. 

There  is  considerable  leeway  in  the  matter  of  the  sort 
of  line  to  use.  Strip-casting  bears  a  closer  analogy  to 
bait-casting  than  to  fly-casting  in  that  the 
*  line  is  caused  to  shoot  out  through  the 
guides  by  the  swing  of  the  rod  and  principally  by  the 
weight  of  the  bait  in  use.  It  differs  from  fly-casting  in 
that  the  weight  of  the  bait,  rather  than  of  the  line  and 
the  swing  of  the  rod,  is  the  chief  factor  in  getting  out 
the  line.  It  naturally  follows  that  a  line  having  weight 
is  not  absolutely  necessarjl  as  for  fly-casting. 

On  the  whole  the  best  line  to  use  is  a  rather  small 
caliber  enameled  fly-casting  line,  say  size  G  or  F.  This 
will  render  freely  and  smoothly  through  the  rod  guides 
and  is  much  more  durable  and  less  liable  to  foul  by 
wrapping  around  the  rod  than  an  unwaterproofed  bait- 
casting  line.  For  average  bass  fishing  twenty-five  yards 
of  good  quality  size  F  enameled  line  used  on  a  one- 
hundred-yard  single-action  reel  will  best  answer  the 
reel  and  line  requirements  for  strip-casting. 

The  method  of  casting  is  very  simple  and  yet,  to 
acquire  expertness  and  the  very  best  results,  no  little 
practice  and  experience  are  required.     Before  going  on 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF   FISHING       139 

to  speak  of  the  baits  to  use  and  the  general  course  of 

action  of  the  strip-caster  when  on  the  bass  grounds  it 

would,    perhaps,    be   best    to   settle    the 

Irlow  to       question  of  how  to  use  rod,  reel,  and  line 

in  strip-casting.     This  method  is  almost 

exclusively  employed  when  fishing  from  a  boat  or  canoe 

— seldom  while  wading,  or  from  the  bank  of  a  river  or 

the  lake  shore. 

The  reel  and  line  should  be  rigged  on  the  rod  as  for 
fly-casting;  that  is,  the  reel  underneath  with  the  handle 
to  the  right.  A  short  gut  leader  may  be  used  if  desired 
or  one  of  fine  steel  or  copper  if  pickerel  or  pike  are 
abundant  where  your  bass  fishing  is  done.  Very  heavy 
baits,  either  artificial  or  natural,  should  not  be  used,  as 
the  work  will  be  too  strenuous  for  the  fly-rod  unless  it 
is  a  very  heavy  and  stifl  one. 

Assemble  rod,  reel,  and  line  and  have  about  six  or 
eight  feet  of  line  from  the  tip  of  the  rod.  Now  strip 
from  the  reel  several  feet  of  line,  allowing  the  coils  to 
lie  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  Always  be  careful  to  lay 
it  down  so  that  it  will  not  tangle  and  foul  during  the 
cast.  A  new  enameled  line  which  shows  a  tendency  to 
coil  tightly  should  be  well  straightened  by  rubbing  down 
with  deer  fat  or  some  other  line  dressing  before  at- 
tempting to  use  it  for  strip-casting. 

The  knack  lies  largely  in  educating  the  left  hand  to 
manipulate  the  line  correctly.  As  in  the  practice  of 
many  fly-casters,  the  left  hand  grasps  the  line  between 
the  reel  and  the  first  guide  and  is  used  to  control  the 
rendition  and  retrieve  of  the  line  during  and  after  the 
cast.    If  it  is  your  custom  to  handle  the  line  thus  when 


I40       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

fly-casting,  you  will  not  have  to  learn  it;  otherwise, 
although  a  limited  proficiency  may  be  quickly  acquired, 
it  will  pay  you  to  practice  this  phase  of  strip-casting 
faithfully;  its  importance  is  equal  to  that  of  thumbing 
the  reel  in  bait-casting.  During  the  cast  the  outrunning 
line  must  be  subject  to  exactly  the  proper  control,  must 
run  out  neither  too  fast  or  too  slow,  or  the  line  will 
foul  at  the  first  rod  guide. 

Having  stripped  the  line  from  the  reel,  and  controll- 
ing it  as  above  indicated  with  the  left  hand,  presuming 
that  you  are  casting  from  right  to  left,  carry  the  rod  to 
your  right  and  slightly  to  the  rear,  pointing  a  little 
downward  toward  the  water,  and  then  swing  it  smartly 
to  the  left  across  the  body  and  slightly  upward.  When, 
during  the  swing  of  the  rod,  the  rod  tip  points  in  the 
direction  you  wish  to  cast — as  a  matter  of  fact,  just  a 
little  before  that  point — release  the  hold  of  the  left 
hand  on  the  line  sufficiently  to  allow  it  to  run  out 
through  the  fingers.  Do  not  release  it  entirely,  as  this 
will  feed  the  line  to  the  first  rod  guide  faster  than  it 
will  run  through  and  a  tangle  will  result.  The  cast 
is  quite  similar  to  the  side  cast  in  bait-casting  from  the 
reel. 

The  cast  being  completed,  that  is,  the  bait  having 
reached  the  water  at  the  desired  point,  the  line  is  re- 
trieved by  stripping  it  in  through  the  guides  with  the 
left  hand,  taking  pains  to  lay  the  coils  down  evenly  on 
the  bottom  of  the  boat  as  in  the  preliminary  stripping 
from  the  reel.  The  line  should  be  stripped  in  at  a 
moderate  rate  of  speed,  rather  faster  with  artificial 
lures  than  with  natural,   in   order  to   impart  lifelike 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF   FISHING       141 

motion  to  the  bait,  and  care  should  be  taken  to  have  the 
line  and  rod  always  under  control,  so  that  immediate 
advantage  may  be  taken  of  a  strike. 

The  importance  of  a  taut  line  should  not  be  over- 
looked.    After  hooking  a  bass  the  fish  is,  of  course, 

played  "by  hand"  rather  than  from  the 
eep  a     au    ^^^^^  unless  an  extra  long  run  takes  out 

all  the  free  line.  This  should  not  be 
considered  a  disadvantage,  for,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
very  best  and  safest  way  to  play  a  fish  is  by  this  method ; 
that  is,  by  controlling  the  giving  and  taking  of  line  with 
the  left  hand  independently  of  the  reel. 

Light  artificial  baits  are  the  best  to  use,  such  lures  as 
small  trolling  spoons,  fly-spinners,  bucktail  spoons,  etc. ; 

light-weight  floating  baits  and  pork  rinds 
Ine  iSaits     ^^  small  white  enameled  spoons  are  also 

very  successful.  Fly-spoons  made  in  tan- 
dem style  and  used  in  connection  with  bass  flies  of 
well-known  patterns,  scarlet  ibis,  Parmachene  belle, 
Montreal,  coachman,  Henshall,  silver  doctor,  and 
others,  are  very  pleasant  baits  to  use  and,  moreover, 
quite  acceptable  to  the  bass;  with  these  should  go  a 
small  dipsey  sinker.  Fly-spoons  of  this  sort  are  made 
in  a  great  variety  of  styles  and  in  several  degrees  of 
desirability;  those  with  piano  wire  shanks  and  without 
swivels  are  the  best. 

The  most  successful  methods  for  the  strip-caster  to 
adopt  when  on  the  bass  grounds  are  very  similar  to 

those  used  in  bait-casting.    Casting  from 

a  canoe  or  boat,  the  angler  should  work 
around  the  lake  shore,  casting  in  toward  the  rushes  and 


142       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

lily  pads  and  along  the  margin  of  the  aquatic  vegeta- 
tion of  the  lake,  and  also  over  and  along  rocky  or  sandy 
bars,  about  spring-holes,  at  the  Inlet  or  outlet  of  the 
lake,  and  other  similar  places  where  the  black  bass 
"uses." 

Necessary  items  in  the  outfit  not  mentioned  above 

are  a  small  tackle  box  and  a  landing  net.     The  latter 

will  save  many  large  bass  which  would 

rV  1  ^^  otherwise  be  lost  by  bungling  attempts 
to  get  them  Into  the  boat — a  six-ounce 
fly-rod  Is  a  mighty  poor  tool  with  which  to  "derrick" 
a  four-pound  bass. 

A  modification  of  strip-casting — or  possibly  fly-cast- 
ing, as  It  Is  difficult  to  determine  which  method  is  most 
closely  approximated — exists  in  the  use 
A  Variation  Qf  small,  light  fly-spoons  in  connection 
.  P"  with  single-hook  bass  flies  (these  fly- 
spoons  are  practically  the  same  as  those 
mentioned  for  use  In  strip-casting,  but  the  smallest  sizes 
should  be  used)  on  ordinary  fly-casting  tackle. 

In  running  water  fly-casting  for  black  bass  is  on  a 
par,  both  as  a  sport  and  as  regards  Its  practicality,  with 
fly-fishing  for  brook  trout.  Both  the  small-  and  large- 
mouth  bass  rise  freely  to  the  artificial  fly  when  it  is 
properly  presented  and  under  the  right  conditions,  the 
large-mouth  having  the  reputation  of  being  generally 
the  most  willing  to  Inspect  the  feathers.  But  the  right 
conditions  for  bass  fly-fishing  unfortunately  do  not 
prevail  in  many  parts  of  the  country,  running  water  of 
the  proper  depth  for  fly-casting  and  wading  wherein 
bass,  either  large-  or  small-mouthed,  exist  In  sufficient 


FINE   AND    FAR-OFF   FISHING       143 

numbers  to  warrant  good  sport  with  the  fly-rod  is  very 
difficult  to  find  except  in  certain  favored  localities. 

Usually  the  bass  streams  are  deep  and  sluggish,  ne- 
cessitating the  boat  and  the  casting  rod,  or  else,  if  the 
streams  are  rapid  and  shallow,  the  brook  trout  is  the 
principal  game  fish  found  therein.  Fly-fishing  for  bass 
in  lakes  also — ^well  authenticated  exceptions  duly  noted 
and  filed  for  future  and  practical  reference — is  noto- 
riously unremunerative. 

However,  by  using  the  customary  outfit  for  fly-cast- 
ing, casting  in  very  much  the  same  way  and  using  a 
small,  feather-weight  fly-spoon,  the  angler  can  have 
fairly  good  sport  with  the  fly-rod  and  the  black  bass  un- 
der any  normal  angling  conditions.  You  must,  however, 
be  a  pretty  good  fly-caster — know  how  to  use  your  left 
hand  as  well  as  your  right  in  casting  the  fly  or  fly-spin- 
ner and  how  to  "shoot"  your  line  at  the  finish  of  the 
forward  cast — and  you  must  also  use  a  fly-spoon  that 
IS  suited  to  the  business  in  hand. 

There  is  one  manufacturer  who  makes  a  specialty  of 
this  sort  of  tackle,  and,  as  is  often  the  case,  the  product 
of  this  specialist  is  measurably  in  advance  of  the  "just 
as  good"  offered  by  other  makers  of  tackle  in  general. 
Since  there  is  little  or  no  trade  competition  in  regard 
to  these  fly-spoons  and  the  author  therefore  is  not  liable 
to  be  accused  of  odious  comparison  or  entire  lack  of 
intelligence  about  fishing  tackle,  it  might  be  well  to  say 
for  the  accurate  information  of  the  reader  that  the  fly- 
spinners  mentioned  are  known  as  the  Hildebrandts. 

It  is  necessary  that  the  spoon  blades  be  very  light  and 
thin ;  that  heavy  swivels,  or  for  that  matter  any  swivels 
at  all,  be  avoided ;  and  that  the  bass  flies  used  with  the 


144       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

spinners  be  well  tied  and  true  to  pattern  and  dressed 
on  the  best  grade  of  hooks.  Any  fly-spoon  which 
answers  the  above  requirements  will  do,  others  will  not. 

The  fly-spoons  made  in  tandem  style,  that  is,  with 
two  small  spoon  blades  leading  the  fly,  may  be  especi- 
ally recommended  both  for  strip-casting  proper  and 
also  for  use  on  the  fly-rod  for  casting  as  with  the  fly. 
As  above  suggested  only  the  lightest  and  smallest  spin- 
ners should  be  used  for  casting  as  in  fly-fishing.  When 
ready  for  the  back  cast,  in  this  last  style  of  casting,  do 
not  snap  the  spinner  out  of  the  water,  but  lift  it  out 
easily.  The  former  method  is  apt  to  result  disastrously 
in  several  ways.  Single-hook  bucktail  spinners  and  also 
a  similar  fly-spinner  known  as  the  fox  squirrel  tail  are 
very  successful  lures  for  strip-casting  and  small  spoon 
casting  with  the  fly-rod. 

Any  of  the  lighter  weight  surface  baits  such  as  are 
used  in  bait-casting  are  also  good  for  strip-casting.  It 
would  appear  that  under  certain  conditions  the  black 
bass  favors  a  floating  bait ;  quite  often  they  will  rise  to 
the  surface  and  strike  a  floating  lure  when  under-water 
fishing  is  barren  of  results.  The  floating  baits  are  also 
the  most  practical  and  saving  of  tackle,  fish,  and  temper 
when  fishing  very  weedy  lakes,  casting  among  the  lily 
pads  and  rushes,  and  in  all  places  where  under-water 
fishing  is  liable  to  result  in  fouling  the  tackle  either  in 
casting  or  after  a  bass  is  hooked.  As  a  general  rule, 
a  bass  which  strikes  a  floating  bait  will  fight  close  to 
the  surface,  seldom  going  down  to  any  considerable 
depth,  and  the  wise  angler,  either  bait-  or  strip-caster, 
fishing  where  the  bottom  is  badly  obstructed  will  do 
well  to  remember  this. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

PROSPECTING  WITH  A  CASTING  ROD 

On  the  Trail  of  the  Black  Bass 

IT  IS  a  fact  well  known  to  students  of  human  nature 
and  angling,  that  a  fisherman  will  often  turn  his 
back  on  good  fishing  near  at  hand  for  the  sake  of 
trying  his  luck  on  little,  inconsequential  ponds  and 
rivers  which  no  one  ever  heard  of  particularly  but  are 
darkly  rumored  to  "swarm"  with  huge  bass.  Sometimes 
you  do,  indeed,  catch  a  few  bass;  oftener  you  do  not. 
Always  you  put  in  many  hours  of  hard  work  tramping 
the  woods,  swinging  a  paddle  or  pulling  the  oars,  and 
at  the  end  of  the  trip  invariably  "Never  Again"  is  your 
slogan. 

Some  little  time  thereafter,  running  over  in  your 
mind  the  various  events  of  your  latest  prospecting  fiasco, 
you  realize  that,  after  all,  you  have  had  a  mighty  good 
time;  that  it  is  not  all  of  bass  fishing  to  kill  bass;  and 
that  on  these  little  prospecting  tours  you  experience  to 
the  fullest  extent  all  of  the  things  which  make  fishing 
really  worth  while — although  you  do  not  catch  even 
one  small  bass. 

145 


146       THE    FINE  ART   OF   FISHING 

The  call  of  strange  waters,  little  ponds  "way  off"  in 
the  woods,  the  upper  reaches  of  rivers  as  yet  unexploited 
by  anglers,  is  practically  irresistible.  For  a  time,  when 
camping  out,  the  fishing  is  within  easy  reach  from  the 
camp.  Then,  no  matter  how  fine  may  be  the  sport  at 
the  home-camp,  a  side  trip  on  the  chance  of  connecting 
with  an  imaginary  record  fish,  or  finding  some  purely 
hypothetical  lake  is  always  in  order.  The  rightly 
constructed  angler  is  an  indefatigable  explorer,  although 
at  least  half  the  time  and  from  the  strictly  practical 
point  of  view  the  object  of  his  explorations  is  some- 
what vague.  It  is  manifestly  foolish  to  leave  first-class 
fishing  for  the  merely  supposititious  sport  afforded  by 
some  little  known  and  possibly  non-existent  lake  or 
river,  but  we  all  do  it. 

Just  why  a  man  will  tear  his  way  through  the  woods 
for  days  in  order  to  reach  a  place  where  "the  hand  of 
man  has  never  set  foot,'*  which,  after  all,  is  quite  like 
any  other  place,  is  difficult  to  comprehend.  And  the 
mental  status  of  the  angler  who  pulls,  pushes,  and  pad- 
dles a  canoe  and  half  a  ton  of  excess  baggage  and  fishing 
tackle  up  a  river  for  the  express  purpose  of  wetting  his 
line  "farther  up"  than  anyone  else  has  ever  been  crazy 
enough  to  fish  is,  to  say  the  least,  unstable  if  not  dan- 
gerous. Of  course  the  reason  is  usually  the  suppositi- 
tious larger  fish  and  better  fish  in  the  presumably  un- 
fished  waters.  But  the  world  is  already  pretty  small 
and  annually  growing  smaller,  and  every  angler  knows, 
or  has  reason  to  know  that  at  the  present  stage  of  the 
game  all  the  best  fishing  waters  are  neither  lost,  strayed, 
or  stolen ;  their  locations  are  definitely  known  and  duly 


PROSPECTING  147 

recorded  in  the  railroad  guide-books.  This  is  from  the 
common-sense  point  of  view — which,  of  course,  should 
be  entirely  disregarded  as  it  has  no  bearing  on  the 
matter. 

Just  so  long,  however,  as  the  old  saw  that  it  is  not 
all  of  fishing  to  catch  fish  holds  true,  anglers  will 
continue  to  chase  the  will  o'  the  wisp  of  better  fishing, 
or  bigger  fish,  "farther  up"  or  "farther  in,"  anywhere, 
in  fact,  except  where  you  are,  always  provided  the  place 
is  sufficiently  inaccessible.  Inaccessibility  of  location 
makes  a  sporting  proposition  of  any  little  old  mud- 
bottomed  pond  that  has  nothing  in  it  but  bull-frogs, 
bull-heads,  and  possibly  three  or  four  slab-sided  pick- 
erel. Any  duly  accredited  angler  will  risk  his  neck  to 
fish  such  a  place  as  this;  and  when,  naturally,  the  trip 
turns  out  a  brilliant  failure,  although  he  may  protest 
strenuously  against  his  "luck,"  way  down  in  his  heart 
he  knows  that  he  has  got  exactly  what  he  went  for 
— whatever  that  may  be — and  that,  really,  he  is  quite 
ready  to  do  it  all  over  again. 

Fishing  New  Waters 

Prospecting  for  black  bass  has,  however,  its  practical 
side.  To  fish  new  waters  successfully  one  should  be 
pretty  well  acquainted  with  the  habits  of  the  bass  in 
order  to  judge  rightly  as  to  their  probable  haunts  and 
habits  under  the  local  conditions;  and  although  certain 
phases  of  this  subject  have  been  discussed  elsewhere,  a 
review  of  the  matters  of  this  sort  most  pertinent  from 
the  present  view-point,  together  with  other  facts  knowl- 
edge of  which  will  help  the  angler  when  prospecting 


148       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

new  waters,  will  serve  to  emphasize  their  importance. 
Whenever  possible  it  is  well  to  call  in  the  aid  of  some 
of  the  local  talent,  professional  or  otherwise,  with  a 
view  to  locating  the  game  without  loss  of  time.  The 
black  bass  is  a  peculiar  and  undependable  animal;  even 
in  ponds  closely  adjacent  the  habits  and,  to  a  slight 
extent,  the  color  and  formation  of  the  bass  respectively 
therein  will  di£Fer.  Particularly  is  there  liable  to  be 
a  difference  in  the  kind  of  bait  most  favored.  In  one 
pond  nothing  but  the  natural  baits,  minnows,  frogs,  etc., 
will  produce  results;  in  another  natural  baits  are  of  no 
use  whatever  while  the  various  artificials — or,  more 
frequently,  one  particular  artificial — are  at  a  premium. 

Quite  naturally  the  habits  of  the  bass  in  any  given 
lake  are  to  a  great  extent  dependent  upon  the  character 
of  the  lake  itself;  that  is,  if  bass  habits  are  dependent 
upon  anything  but  the  own  sweet  will  of  Mr.  Bass  in 
person,  to  which  latter  theory  the  writer  is  sometimes 
strongly  inclined.  Thus  in  shallow,  weedy  lakes  the 
bass  will  be  found  feeding  at  quite  different  times  from 
those  in  deep,  clear  water  ponds  with  rocky  bottoms; 
and,  of  course,  as  regards  waters  having  these  character- 
istics, it  is  probable  that  in  the  shallower,  weedy  water 
you  will  find  the  large-mouthed  bass,  and  in  the  deeper 
and  rocky  bottomed  lake  the  small-mouth. 

Also,  from  season  to  season,  in  the  same  lake,  you  are 
likely  to  find  the  old  feeding  grounds  deserted  and 
catch  pretty  nearly  all  your  bass  in  new  places,  these 
new  places  being  productive  all  through  the  season,  while 
other  spots,  to  all  appearances  quite  as  good,  will  yield 
nothing.    All  through  the  season,  every  day,  you  will 


PROSPECTING  149 

take  a  bass  or  two  off  a  certain  patch  of  weeds  or 
rushes,  another  at  the  point  of  an  old  tree  fallen  in  the 
water,  and  in  a  number  of  other  places  which  become 
well  known  to  you.  Eventually  you  "go  the  rounds'* 
visiting  these  spots  in  rotation  and  seldom  fishing  the 
rest  of  the  lake.  But,  in  all  probability,  the  next  season 
you  will  have  to  start  out  prospecting  again,  to  learn 
anew  where  the  bass  are  living. 

In  view  of  these  things  it  should  be  manifest  that  the 
angler  when  visiting  new  waters  in  search  of  bass  is 
playing  against  heavy  odds,  particularly  if  his  time  is 
limited  and  the  lake  is  a  large  one.  Some  time  ago  the 
writer  and  a  friend — to  say  nothing  of  two  excessively 
heavy  pack  baskets,  two  phenomenally  weighty  rifles, 
and  two  ridiculously  ponderous  oars — packed  through 
the  woods  to  a  lake  "swarming  with  large,  gamey  black 
bass."  Arriving  at  the  lake  a  little  after  noon  we  found 
the  boat  we  had  expected  to  use  swamped  in  six  feet 
of  water  and  impossible  to  raise — the  moral  is  obvious. 
So  we  prospected  for  a  craft  and  found  one,  a  fine  little 
boat  that  leaked  not  a  drop  and  floated  like  a  duck  and, 
wonder  of  wonders,  was  not  locked.  Later  we  learned 
that  this  was  the  only  other  boat  on  the  lake.  This 
craft  we  promptly  requisitioned — and  the  morality  of 
this  is  not  so  obvious. 

While  eating  our  lunch  we  visually  prospected  the 
lake,  looking  for  the  best  fishing  water;  apparently  it 
was  all  about  equally  good  and  very  good.  All  around 
the  lake  shore  were  fine  patches  of  weeds,  lily  pads,  and 
rushes ;  here  and  there  large  boulders  showed  above  the 
surface,  indicating  fine  rocky  bars ;  and  many  large  pine 


I50      THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

trees  had  tipped  over  into  the  water  affording  ideal  bass 
shelters.  We  knew  that  our  time  was  limited  and  that 
much  depended  upon  how  and  where  we  decided  to 
fish.  However,  it  all  looked  so  favorable  that  we  de- 
cided that  if  we  fished  around  the  south  shore  we  would 
have  all  the  bass  we  could  carry  on  the  long  tramp 
home. 

So,  until  dewy  eve,  we  fished  around  the  south  shore 
— ^without  even  a  strike.  A  few  days  thereafter  we 
learned  that  on  the  next  day  two  anglers  fished  the 
north  shore,  using  bait-casting  tackle  quite  similar  to 
our  own,  and  had  the  finest  kind  of  luck.  This  shows 
the  seamy  side  of  bass  prospecting. 

If  it  is  impracticable  to  summon  the  aid  of  a  local 
angler  or  guide  and  time  is  no  object,  as  when,  for 
instance,  you  are  going  into  camp  on  the  lake,  it  is  a 
very  good  plan  to  do  your  first  fishing  by  prospecting 
with  a  trolling  line.  Trolling  from  the  rod  is  always 
an  effective  method  for  taking  bass  and  in  this  way, 
working  slowly  around  the  shores  on  the  lookout  for 
bars  and  other  bass  habitats,  you  soon  learn  the  lay  of 
the  water.  The  places  where  you  have  a  strike  or 
catch  a  bass  should  be  carefully  noted  by  reference  to 
some  landmark  on  the  lake  shore.  Then  when  you  get 
out  the  casting  tackle  and  are  ready  for  the  real  busi- 
ness of  the  trip,  you  will  know  pretty  nearly  where  to 
fish. 

The  most  propitious  places  for  bass  vary  considerably 
with  the  time  of  year  and  even  with  the  time  of  day. 
Thus  the  wise  prospector  early  in  the  season  will  look 
for  the  fish  well  in-shore  among  the  weeds  and  rushes 


PROSPECTING  151 

and  on  the  edges  of  rocky  or  sandy  bars;  in  streams  on 
the  riffles  and  generally  in  the  more  shallow  water. 
Fishing  off  bars,  or  on  them,  is  almost  always  successful 
and  the  angler  should  take  pains  to  spot  every  bar  in 
the  stream  or  lake. 

As  the  season  progresses  and  the  bass  seeking  cooler 
waters  move  out  into  the  deeper  portions  of  the  lake 
the  angler  must  follow  them.  Casting  over  the  bars 
and  shallows  at  this  time  is  only  successful  very  early 
and  late  in  the  day  when  the  bass  are  feeding  in-shore. 
The  dissimilarity  of  taste  in  the  matter  of  natural  and 
artificial  baits  shown  by  bass  in  even  closely  adjacent 
lakes,  alluded  to  above,  should  be  borne  in  mind  by  the 
angler  fishing  new  waters. 

The  present  tendency  of  bass  fishermen,  especially 
bait-casters,  is  strongly  toward  the  almost  exclusive  use 
of  artificial  baits;  from  the  standpoint  of  the  practical 
angler,  who  uses  bait  natural  or  artificial  as  the  circum- 
stances seem  to  warrant,  the  exclusive  use  of  spoons, 
artificial  minnows,  and  surface  baits,  to  the  absolute 
exclusion  of  natural  bait  in  any  form,  is  not  desirable. 
When  fair  success  may  be  had  with  the  artificial  baits — 
even  although  at  the  same  time  heavier  results  could  be 
had  with  natural  bait — the  use  of  the  artificials  is 
cleaner,  simpler,  and  preferable.  But  fanatical  adher- 
ence to  the  artificial  baits,  for  any  reason  whatever, 
when  the  natural  is  evidently  and  exclusively  preferred 
by  the  bass  is  difficult  to  justify. 

The  prospector  for  bass,  then,  should  not  bring  in  an 
adverse  decision  in  regard  to  any  certain  pond  or  lake 
until  a  variety  of  baits  have  been  tried  and  the  bass 


152       THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

found  wanting,  and  even  then  It  is  quite  possible  that 
they  wanted  something  else.  The  angler  who  favors 
the  small-mouth  bass,  discrediting  the  merit  of  the  large- 
mouth,  should  prospect  only  In  certain  places,  while 
the  angler  who  is  satisfied  with  any  sort  of  bass  has  a 
much  larger  field  to  cover. 

It  is  not  merely  a  bookish  theory  that  the  small-mouth 
in  streams  favors  swiftly  running  water — much  the 
same  localities  as  are  sought  by  the  brook  trout — while 
the  large-mouth  seeks  quiet,  weedy  places.  This  has 
been  proved  to  the  writer  many  times  and  some  times 
very  strikingly.  On  the  Housatonic  In  Connecticut,  as 
an  instance,  where  the  dam  of  an  electric  power  plant 
affords  swift-water  fishing  below  and  still-water  above, 
you  will  take  exclusively  small-mouth  bass  below  the 
dam  and  large-mouths  above  it. 

In  lakes  also  the  habitats  of  the  two  black  basses  are 
almost  equally  well  defined,  the  small-mouths  being 
found  about  the  spring-holes,  on  rocky  bars,  and  pos- 
sibly at  the  inlet  or  outlet  of  the  lake  If  there  Is  an 
appreciable  current  at  these  places,  or  where,  as  at  the 
mouth  of  a  mountain  brook,  the  water  Is  of  a  lower  tem- 
perature. Often  the  two  basses  co-exist  in  the  same 
lake  when  the  large-mouth  is  usually  found  In  quiet, 
weedy  bays,  among  lily  pads  and  rushes,  and  where  the 
bottom  Is  soft. 

As  a  method  of  quickly  trying  out  new  waters  bait- 
casting  Is  quite  equal  to  trolling  provided  the  caster 
does  not  spend  too  long  a  time  in  whipping  out  any  one 
spot.  As  a  matter  of  fact  repeated  casting  over  a  re- 
stricted piece  of  water  is  seldom  of  use  anyway;  almost 


PROSPECTING  153 

invariably  if  there  is  a  bass  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
the  cast  and  he  is  in  a  rising  mood,  he  will  strike  at 
the  first  or  second  cast ;  if  he  does  not,  subsequent  casts 
in  the  same  place  will  seldom  persuade  him.  With  one 
man  at  the  oars  or  paddle  and  another  to  handle  the 
casting  rod,  working  around  the  lake  shore  slowly  and 
without  stopping  to  whip  out  any  one  place  to  a  finish, 
it  is  possible  to  prospect  new  fishing  grounds  very 
quickly  and  effectively. 

When  casting  from  a  boat  or  canoe  a  great  deal 
depends  upon  the  man  at  the  oars  or  paddle.  It  is  an 
open  question  who  deserves  the  most  credit  for  the  suc- 
cessful landing  of  a  big,  hard-fighting  game  fish,  the 
man  behind  the  rod  or  the  one  who,  by  his  skilful 
handling  of  the  fishing  craft,  aids  the  rod  at  every  stage 
of  the  game.  The  canoemen  of  the  North  aid  the 
angler  in  his  pursuit  of  salmon  and  square-tails.  In  the 
North  and  West  the  man  behind  the  paddle  or  the  oars 
is  more  than  a  small  factor  in  the  landing  of  masca- 
longe.  Wherever  there  are  bass,  there,  too,  are  the 
fin-  and  weather-wise  boatmen,  upon  whose  knowledge 
of  feeding  grounds  and  boat  handling  the  sportsman 
tourist  must  largely  depend. 

At  present  the  rowboat  is  in  most  general  use  for 
fishing  purposes,  but  the  canvas-covered  canoe  is  con- 
stantly gaining  in  popularity,  especially  for  stream  fish- 
ing. There  is  also  a  general  tendency  in  most  all  locali- 
ties toward  better  boats.  Some  years  ago  it  was  the 
exception  to  find,  save  among  privately  owned  boats, 
anything  much  better  than  a  "pung,"  a  blunt-nosed, 
leaky  monstrosity  with  a  chronic  objection  to  direct 


154       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

progress  either  forward  or  backward.  The  introduc- 
tion of  the  inexpensive,  well  built,  and  very  serviceable 
steel  boats  has  bettered  the  situation  a  great  deal.  For 
any  fishing  that  is  worth  while,  it  is  impossible  to  get  a 
boat  that  is  too  good;  that  is,  as  regards  lines  and  ease 
of  handling. 


CHAPTER  IX 

CASTS  AT  RANDOM  WITH  UNEXPECTED 
RISES 

The   Wideawake   Angler 

WHEN  fishing  a  trout  stream  the  man  who 
keeps  his  mind  on  the  business  in  hand  is  far 
more  successful  than  the  "contemplative'* 
angler.  Contemplation — we  know  that  this,  in  view  of 
the  very  familiar  traditions  of  the  gentle  art,  is  almost 
sacrilegious — and  real  fly-fishing  are  strictly  incom- 
patible. Fishing  in  books,  however,  that  is,  in  some 
books,  and  fishing  in  rivers  and  lakes  are  two  quite  dif- 
ferent propositions.  For  successful  fly-fishing  the  an- 
gler must  be  "right  on  his  muscle"  every  minute.  If  he 
allows  his  attention  to  wander  to  the  proverbial  "beau- 
ties of  nature"  or  indulges  in  "day  dreams"  in  accord- 
ance with  the  tenets  of  the  less  practical  literature  of 
angling,  a  light  creel  is  the  logical  result.  The  aver- 
age sportsman,  although  not  insensitive  to  the  natural 
beauties  of  the  stream,  quite  naturally  prefers  to  make 
a  good  catch — not  necessarily  an  excessive  one. 

Striking  a  trout  that  has  risen  to  the  fly  is  a  matter 

155 


156       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

of  quick  eye,  steady  nerve,  and  constant  watchfulness. 
Every  fly-caster  can  recall  days  when,  although  the 
trout  were  rising  freely,  his  catch  was  very  light.  It 
was  not  because  the  trout  were  rising  short.  It  was 
merely  because  he  was  a  bit  off  in  his  striking,  a  little 
too  quick  or  too  slow.  He  was  not  "on  his  nerve.'*  In 
target  shooting  with  the  rifle  the  same  conditions  pre- 
vail. There  are  days  when  the  expert  marksman  is 
unable  to  let-off  at  the  right  time.  To  repay  one  for 
such  unhallowed  occasions  there  are  days  when  every 
rise  is  fastened  with  certainty. 

When  the  cast  of  flies  is  on  the  water  they  must  be 
closely  watched  in  order  to  take  immediate  advantage 
of  a  rise,  but  when  the  angler  is  not  engaged  in  actual 
casting  he  should  watch  for  a  rising  trout  or  likely  look- 
ing places  for  a  cast.  A  fly  cast  over  a  trout  that  has 
just  risen  is  pretty  sure  to  bring  results.  Although  you 
may  have  fished  a  certain  stream  many  times,  you  are 
almost  certain  to  find  new  places  that  are  promising — 
if  you  look  for  them.  Every  year  a  trout  stream 
changes,  in  accordance  with  the  force  of  the  spring 
freshets.  On  your  first  day  out  you  may  find  old-time 
favorite  pools  filled  in  and  practically  ruined  and  you 
will  find  that  here  and  there  new  pools  have  formed. 
Rapids  have  been  shallowed  to  riflfles  and  riffles  deep- 
ened to  rapids.  Overhanging  trees  have  finally  toppled 
over  into  the  stream.  New  lurking  places  for  trout 
have  been  hollowed  out  beneath  the  banks.  Every  year 
you  must  learn  the  stream  over  again. 

In  almost  every  trout  stream  there  are  certain  reaches 
which  are  practically  barren  of  trout.     The  careful 


CASTS  AT  RANDOM  157 

angler,  however,  during  the  first  days  of  the  season,  will 
try  out  such  places  very  thoroughly,  for  it  is  quite  pos- 
sible that  the  annual  change  in  stream  conditions  may 
result  in  trout  being  found  there.  I  remember  very 
well  such  an  occurrence.  A  trout  stream  that  I  have 
fished  a  great  many  times  was  always  troutless  in  its 
lower  waters,  despite  the  fact  that  here  the  stream,  as 
far  as  one  could  judge,  was  exactly  suited  to  the  fish. 
There  were  several  short  rapids  leading  into  fine  pools, 
many  large,  submerged  boulders  just  right  for  trout  to 
hide  around  and  beneath,  and  the  banks  were  thickly 
grown  to  pines.  Yet  for  several  seasons  I  fished  this 
water  from  time  to  time  without  even  a  rise.  The 
trout  were  not  there.  But  the  following  season  the 
first  day  over  this  same  water  put  a  dozen  good  trout 
in  the  basket,  and  to  date  the  fishing  there  is  fairly 
reliable.  Something  had  occurred  to  bring  in  the 
trout;  just  what,  it  would  be  difficult  to  determine. 

The  wideawake  angler,  admitting  for  the  purpose  of 
contrast  that  the  contemplative  angler  exists  outside 
the  pages  of  angling  literature,  a  matter  of  some  doubt, 
may  not  become  an  authority  on  the  beauties  of  Nature 
in  the  abstract,  but  he  learns  a  good  bit  about  certain 
special  phases  of  nature — fish,  for  instance.  Some  one 
has  said  that  the  best  time  to  observe  nature  is  when  the 
fish  aren't  biting.  This  is  undoubtedly  true,  but  it  is 
also  an  admission  of  inability  to  make  the  fish  bite. 
That  this  is  a  pretty  difficult  thing,  at  times  impossible, 
may  be  true,  but,  nevertheless,  your  hardworking, 
wideawake  angler  works  hardest  and  is  most  wideawake 
when  it  is  a  case  of  making  the  trout  rise  or  an  empty 


158       THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

creel.  And  herein  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  phases 
of  fishing.  A  good  trout  taken  under  difficulties,  teased 
to  the  fly  when  most  disdainful  of  it,  is  worth  a  dozen 
fool  fish  crazy  for  the  fly  to  such  an  extent  that  one 
has  only  to  offer  the  cast  to  have  it  accepted.  Only  the 
enthusiast,  however,  the  true-blue,  strenuous  fly-caster, 
will  long  continue  to  hammer  away  at  water  to  all 
intents  and  purposes  trout-void. 

A  constitutional  inability  to  quit,  when  every  trout 
added  to  the  score  must  be  a  trout  earned  by  the  hard- 
est kind  of  work  and  the  exercise  of  infinite  patience 
and  skill,  is  the  hall-mark  of  the  genuine  fly-fisherman. 
To  such  a  man  continued  ill  success  serves  merely  as 
an  incentive  to  further  effort.  He  seeks  to  discover 
just  what  are  the  conditions  which  are  causing  the  trout 
to  stay  down.  Arriving  at  some  conclusion  regarding 
this,  he  endeavors  to  meet  the  situation  in  the  selection, 
arrangement,  or  use  of  his  tackle.  If  the  results  show 
that  his  theory  is  wrong  it  is  simply  a  case  of  trying 
another  method.  And  a  good  many  times  he  eventually 
hits  upon  the  proper  thing  and  then — . 

On  the  other  hand  we  all  know  the  "quitter."  He  is 
anxious  to  be  known  among  men  as  an  "ardent  angler," 
an  "enthusiast."  He  talks  fish  and  fishing  to  infinity 
and  upon  microscopic  provocation.  But  on  the  stream 
a  little  hard  luck  quickly  shows  his  class.  His  conver- 
sation waxes  loud  and  rather  more  than  impolitely  em- 
phatic. He  talks  about  smashing  the  rod — "might  just 
as  well  fish  in  a  frog  pond" — and  thrashes  about  in  the 
stream  like  a  pointer  dog  In  a  mud-wallow.  Finally  he 
quits  entirely — ^whereupon  there  Is  much  joy  among  his 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  159 

companions.  It  is  quite  true  that  there  are  times  and 
places  when  and  where  no  amount  of  careful  work  will 
bring  even  slightly  adequate  returns  and  continued 
effort  is  futile.  It  is  also  true  that  the  man  who  keeps 
his  powder  dry  and  his  line  wet  generally  has  some- 
thing to  show  for  his  pains. 

Game  Fish  in  Winter 

The  advantage  to  the  hunter  and  angler  of  a  good 
working  knowledge  of  the  habits  and  haunts  of  game 
and  game  fishes  is  generally  conceded.  The  man  who 
knows  the  life  histories  of  the  deer  and  grouse,  the 
brook  trout  and  the  black  bass,  has  little  need  of  a 
guide,  save  in  so  far  as  a  geographical  knowledge  of 
the  country  to  be  fished  or  hunted  may  be  necessary,  to 
show  him  where  to  look  for  trout  or  where  not  to  look 
for  grouse. 

Given  two  hunters  or  anglers  equally  well  outfitted 
in  the  matter  of  guns  and  tackle  and  equally  good  shots 
and  casters,  and  the  one  who  has  taken  pains  in  his 
tramps  afield  and  along  the  streams  to  note  carefully 
such  habits  of  the  quarry  as  may  have  a  bearing  on  his 
sport  will  always  make  the  better  showing.  There  are, 
of  course,  artificially  planted  and  preserved  coverts  and 
streams  where  the  abundance  and  innocence  of  the  game 
will  make  up  for  lack  of  skill  with  gun,  rifle,  or  fly- 
rod  ;  in  such  cases  knowledge  of  how  and  where  to  look 
for  game  and  fish  is  not  an  imperative  factor  for  success. 

Where  game  and  game  fish  exist  in  this  superabun- 
dance, getting  them  is  purely  a  matter  of  being  a  good 
shot  or  casting  a  straight  line;  even  the  poor  shot  and 


i6o      THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

the  awkward  rod  handler  may  obtain  enough  birds  or 
trout  to  salve  the  wounds  to  his  pride  caused  by  re- 
peated misses  with  the  gun  or  the  usual  misfortunes  of 
the  novice  or  the  confirmed  bungler  with  the  fly-rod. 

There  is  a  certain  fish  and  game  preserve  controlled 
by  a  number  of  amiable  but  quite  unathletic  gentlemen 
"from  the  City."  Each  year,  just  before  the  opening  of 
the  trout  season,  the  superintendent  of  this  preserve 
dumps  into  the  stream  which  runs  through  it  several 
hundred  liver-fed,  two-pound  trout.  A  few  days  there- 
after the  amiable  but  quite  unathletic  gentlemen  "from 
the  City"  come  up  and  "catch  'em" — on  worms.  That 
is  one  sort  of  sport. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  another  trout  stream  not 
far  distant,  a  hard-fished  public  stream,  from  which  I 
am  willing  to  wager  that  the  not  too  strenuous  gentle- 
men aforesaid  could  not  take  a  half-dozen  trout  in  a 
day's  fishing — with  worms  or  in  any  other  way.  Yet 
a  friend  of  mine  can  usually  show  you  fifteen  or  twenty 
good  trout  taken  from  this  stream  on  flies  almost  any 
day.    That  is  another  sort  of  sport. 

This  is  not  saying  that  the  amiable  metropolitans  are 
entirely  lacking  in  the  right  spirit;  the  mere  fact  that 
they  show  a  certain  appreciation  of  what  we  mean  when 
we  say  "trout  fishing"  is  evidence  of  existence  of  the 
right  idea.  It  is  merely  saying  that  sport  of  the  right 
sort  is  a  matter  of  skill  plus  experience  and  observation. 

But  knowledge  of  the  open  season  habits  of  fish  and 
game,  while  all  that  the  sportsman  absolutely  must 
know,  may  well  be  supplemented  with  some  familiarity 
with  the  life  of  game  when  the  season  is  closed.     The 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  i6i 

appeal  of  the  wilderness  and  woodland  in  winter  has 
been  repeatedly  described  and  may  here  be  taken  for 
granted;  also,  that  the  exercise  of  a  long  tramp  along 
country  roads,  ice-bound  streams,  and  through  white 
forest  lands  is  no  bad  thing  should  go  without  saying. 

Winter  observation  of  the  habits  of  fish  is  a  pretty 
difficult  matter;  as,  Indeed,  is  actual  observation  of 
stream  life  at  any  time.  The  things  we  know  about 
trout  and  bass  and  other  game  fishes  have  been  in  great 
part  gathered  from  observation  of  specimens  In  con- 
finement in  hatcheries  and  aquariums.  By  this  is  meant 
knowledge  of  the  life  of  fishes  apart  from  certain 
phases  well  known  to  any  experienced  angler.  The 
trout  stream  in  winter,  banked  with  snow  and,  save  In 
the  rifts  where  the  current  Is  very  broken  and  rapid, 
sealed  with  ice,  offers  little  hint  as  to  the  life  of  Its  in- 
habitants. 

That  the  trout  brook  of  January  after  a  fall  of  snow 
and  in  the  sunshine  is  nearly,  if  not  quite,  as  good  to 
look  at  as  the  trout  brook  of  June,  Is  small  consolation 
to  the  man  who  wants  to  know  about  trout.  And  yet 
it  would  appear  that  the  sportsman  who  follows  down 
his  favorite  stream  when  that  stream  is  nothing  more 
than  so  much  snow  and  ice  learns  something  about 
trout ;  just  what.  It  would  be  difficult  to  put  into  words, 
but  the  fact  remains  that  the  angler  who  has  an  all-the- 
year-round  acquaintance  with  his  stream  has  a  certain 
advantage  over  the  man  whose  stream  experience  is 
limited  to  the  spring  and  summer  months. 

The  brook  trout  of  the  winter  time  is  a  very  different 
fish  from  the  brook  trout  of  June.     He  Is  inactive, 


i62       THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

sluggish,  and  a  bottom  feeder.  He  does  not  go  into 
retirement  to  such  an  extent  as  does  the  bass,  but,  never- 
theless, IS  far  from  active.  The  brook  trout  feed  more 
or  less,  rather  less  than  more,  during  the  v^Inter,  and 
sometimes  ice  fishermen,  trap-fishing  for  pickerel  and 
perch  on  lakes  inhabited  by  the  speckled  trout,  catch 
them  through  the  ice. 

In  the  Berkshlres  there  is  a  small  lake  known  as 
Three  Mile.  Three  Mile  brook  is  the  outlet  of  the 
little  lake  and  has  brook  trout.  Naturally  there  are 
trout  in  the  lake.  Some  time  ago  some  winter  anglers 
fishing  through  the  ice  with  the  ordinary  "types"  or 
pickerel  traps  used  for  the  purpose  took  fourteen  brook 
trout  averaging  a  pound.  The  story  does  not  tell 
whether  they  put  them  back  or  not,  but  that  they 
caught  the  trout  I  know  to  be  a  fact.  I  might  add  that 
one  of  the  best  known  and  most  skilful  fly-casters  in 
Massachusetts  has  repeatedly  fished  Three  Mile  Pond 
for  brook  trout  during  the  open  season,  with  flies  and 
everything  else  except  dynamite,  but  without  success — 
not  a  single  trout.  This  is  a  fine  situation  to  theorize 
about,  if  you  are  given  to  theories. 

Opening  day  trout  fishermen  have  the  best  luck  bot- 
tom-fishing with  bait,  and  they  will  tell  you  that  the 
trout  of  April  first  or  fifteenth,  as  the  case  may  be, 
although  they  take  bait  very  freely,  are  extremely  slug- 
gish when  hooked  and  when  landed  are  found  gener- 
ally to  be  in  poor  condition.  It  would  seem,  then,  that 
the  brook  trout  is  a  light  feeder  in  winter  rather  from 
lack  of  opportunity  than  from  inclination,  for  the  con- 
ditions prevailing  early  in  April  are  usually  distinctly 
wintry. 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  163 

I  have  taken  brook  trout  on  bait  standing  in  snow  up 
to  my  knees;  also  in  the  worst  of  a  heavy  snowstorm. 
Under  the  same  conditions  trout  have  been  taken  on 
flies.  Brook  trout  in  October  or  November  are  found 
at  the  headwaters  of  streams  and  up  the  small  tributary 
brooks  where  they  resort  during  the  spawning  season. 
After  the  spawning  season  and  during  the  winter 
months  there  must  be  a  general  drifting  back  to  the 
main  stream,  and  in  the  main  stream  a  movement  down- 
stream to  the  usually  deeper  waters  below. 

The  brook  trout  migrations  mentioned  by  the  natu- 
ralists, that  is,  a  general  movement  up-stream  prior  to  the 
spawning  season,  followed  by  a  retreat  to  lower  waters 
thereafter,  are,  however,  not  to  be  taken  too  literally; 
it  should  not  be  understood  that  at  any  time  either  the 
upper  or  lower  reaches  of  the  stream  are  entirely  trout 
deserted.  As  in  the  summer,  trout  may  be  found  about 
the  spring-holes,  so  also  in  winter  they  are  found  there. 
In  the  summer  they  seek  the  vicinity  of  the  spring-holes 
because  there  the  water  is  cooler,  but  in  winter  because, 
rather  curiously,  it  is  then  the  warmer.  Spring  water  is 
slow  to  freeze.  The  usual  winter  habitat  of  the  brook 
trout  is  in  the  deeper  holes  and  long,  deep  reaches  of 
still-water. 

Formerly  there  was  considerable  controversy  about 
the  so-called  hibernating  of  the  black  bass  during  the 
winter  months,  but  it  is  now  definitely  known  that, 
when  the  streams  and  lakes  are  frozen,  the  bass  do, 
indeed,  hibernate  in  much  the  same  manner  as  certain 
fur-bearers.  Hibernation,  however,  does  not  imply 
complete  cessation  of  the  forces  of  life  but  merely  a 


i64       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

dormant  state  which,  under  certain  circumstances,  may- 
be temporarily  interrupted.  Thus  the  basses,  both 
large-  and  small-mouthed,  when  the  water  reaches  a 
low  temperature,  seek  refuge  in  the  interstices  of  rocks, 
in  hollow,  submerged  logs,  and  places  of  like  nature, 
sometimes  even  burrowing  into  the  mud  of  the  lake 
bottom,  where  they  remain  for  long  periods  inactive  and 
without  feeding. 

But  if  several  days  of  unseasonably  warm  weather 
should  come,  melting  the  ice  and  raising  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  water,  the  bass  would  again  become  active. 
Also  it  is  fairly  certain  that  individuals  remain  active 
all  winter;  that  is,  all  the  bass  in  any  given  lake  are 
not  inactive  at  any  one  time.  Ice  fishermen  quite  often 
during  the  winter  report  catching  a  single,  sometimes 
two  or  three,  black  bass.  On  one  occasion  a  friend  of 
mine,  fishing  through  the  ice  of  a  river  cove,  took  eleven 
black  bass,  large-mouthed,  the  heaviest  weighing  two 
and  a  half  pounds.  This  is  the  heaviest  catch  of  black 
bass  through  the  ice  that  has  ever  come  to  my  notice. 
The  winter  bass  seeks  the  deep  waters  of  stream  or  lake, 
coming  to  the  shallows  when  the  water  grows  warm  in 
the  springtime. 

The  winter  habits  of  pike,  pickerel,  and  perch  are 
much  the  same  as  in  the  warmer  months,  although  they 
are  not  so  frequently  found  in  shallow  water.  These 
fishes  feed  all  winter  and  are  quite  active  at  all  times. 
Ice-fishing  for  pickerel  and  perch,  although  hardly  in 
the  same  class  with  fly-fishing  for  trout,  is  good  fun 
and  widely  practiced. 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  165 

Killing  Time  in  a  Fishing  Camp 

If  the  camp  is  a  permanent  one  you  will  often  have 
time  to  kill  and  you  cannot  do  better  than  to  use  some 
of  It  In  putting  the  fishing  Industry  on  a  business-like 
basis.  As  a  general  rule  camping  Is  seldom  done  merely 
for  the  pleasure  of  life  under  canvas ;  that  Is,  the  camp  Is 
most  often  subordinate  to  the  pursuits  of  fishing  or 
hunting  or  some  other  outdoor  sport.  You  should  not 
allow  all  j^our  attention  to  be  taken  up  with  the  com- 
monplace details  of  tents,  outfits,  cookery,  and  the  like. 
If  the  fishing  Is  to  be  successful  there  are  several  things 
to  be  looked  to  in  this  regard. 

One  of  the  first  necessities  Is  a  rod  rack.  Possibly 
you  will  go  Into  camp  with  the  Idea  that,  when  through 
with  It,  you  will  take  the  rod  down.  It  is  quite  prob- 
able that  for  the  first  two  or  three  days  you  will  do 
this.  After  that  It  Is  extremely  doubtful.  Something 
like  the  following  comes  to  pass.  You  come  in  from 
fishing  and  are  Immediately  assailed  with  a  more  or  less 
polite  request  to  rustle  firewood — at  once.  You  lean 
the  spllt-baniboo  against  a  convenient  pine  tree  and  do 
your  duty.  Then  other  things  demand  your  attention. 
The  rod  Is  out  of  sight  and  mind.  All  night  It  leans 
against  the  convenient  pine  tree  and  by  the  next  morning 
has  acquired  a  beautiful  set  and  Is  a  fit  candidate  for 
the  rod  hospital.  Now  If  there  had  been  a  rod  rack 
this  would  not  have  happened. 

If  your  quarters  are  large  enough  have  the  rack  in- 
side; If  not,  then  under  the  tent-fly  close  to  the  tent 
where  the  rods  will  be  protected  and  easy  to  get  at  in 


i66       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

case  of  heavy  rain.  All  you  need  is  some  crotched 
sticks.  Plant  them  closely  enough  together  so  that  the 
rod  will  be  supported  equally  throughout  its  entire 
length. 

For  the  bait-casting  rods  a  better  and  more  conve- 
nient arrangement,  since  these  rods  are  short  enough 
to  allow  this,  Is  a  rack  on  which  the  rods  can  be  sus- 
pended from  the  tip.  Such  a  rack  can  easily  be  con- 
structed In  several  different  ways  and  it  hardly  seems 
necessary  to  go  Into  the  details.  It  should  be  placed 
Inside  the  tent  and  will  take  up  very  little  room.  Never 
by  any  chance  allow  a  split-bamboo  rod,  or,  for  that 
matter,  any  rod,  to  lie  for  any  length  of  time  on  the 
ground.  It  can  be  ruined  In  one  night  by  this  sort 
of  treatment.  By  all  means  take  the  rod  down  If  you 
can  remember  to;  otherwise,  use  the  rod  rack. 

In  packing  for  a  near-home  trip.  If  you  are  not  going 
light,  It  is  a  good  plan  to  stow  some  of  the  outfit  in  a 
box  which  can  be  made  Into  a  live-bait  box;  or  make 
your  bait  box  at  home  and  then  utilize  It  for  packing. 
Be  sure  to  have  the  cover  stout  enough  to  hold  the 
weights  you  will  use  upon  It. 

If  you  have  a  line  dryer  you  will  probably  use  it 
sometimes.  A  couple  of  cleats  nailed  one  above  the 
other  to  a  tree  or  the  tent  pole  make  a  competent  dryer 
of  which  the  most  striking  characteristic  is  simplicity. 
If  you  attempt  a  more  complicated  arrangement  the 
chances  are  It  will  never  be  completed,  unless  you  are 
one  of  those  not  rare  Individuals  who  may  be  described 
as  "camp  tinkers." 

If  the  natural  conditions  are  favorable  it  is  a  good 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  167 

plan  to  have  a  pen  where  the  surplus  fish  may  be  kept 
alive — if  there  is  a  surplus — so  that  when,  as  sometimes 
happens,  the  fish  are  off  their  feed  for  some  length  of 
time,  it  will  not  be  a  case  of  straight  bacon. 

The  angler  who  camps  beside  his  fishing  has  many 
advantages  over  the  one-day  fisherman.  Not  only  can 
he  choose  the  best  days  and  the  best  time  of  day  for 
fishing  but  he  has  every  facility  for  learning  the  pe- 
culiarities of  the  fish  in  that  particular  lake,  their  hours 
of  feeding,  where  to  look  for  them,  their  taste  in  the 
matter  of  flies  and  baits,  the  effect  upon  them  of  various 
local  conditions,  and  similar  matters.  These  are  things 
the  knowledge  of  which  makes  for  success  and  the 
angler  in  camp  should  not  fail  to  observe  them. 

Canoe  vs.  Waders 

It  must  be  admitted  at  the  start  that  the  majority  of 
fly-fishermen,  if  the  stream  conditions  are  at  all  favor- 
able, would  choose  the  waders.  For  this  choice  there 
are  many  reasons,  all  good  ones.  The  fly-caster  who 
has  acquired  his  angling  education  on  northern  trout 
streams  is  never  quite  at  home  when  casting  from  boat 
or  canoe ;  and  to  the  minds  of  many  anglers  wading  the 
stream  is  a  necessary  accompaniment  of  the  day's  fishing 
if  the  occasion  is  to  be  enjoyed  to  the  utmost. 

The  man  in  the  waders  undoubtedly  gets  into  closer 
communication  with  the  stream  and  its  surroundings 
than  does  the  canoeman.  From  the  first  pool  or  riflUe 
he  follows  the  stream  through  its  various  windings, 
learning  as  he  can  in  no  other  way  its  peculiarities. 
Every  trout  stream  is  unique.     To  fish  it  successfully 


i68       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

it  must  be  learned,  and  the  man  who  wades,  soon 
acquires  a  good  working  knowledge. 

Given  a  stream  which  may  be  fished  by  either  method, 
canoe  or  waders,  the  question  arises  as  to  which  method 
is  the  more  apt  to  be  effective.  Wading  a  trout  stream 
is  quite  a  science  in  itself.  Some  anglers,  not  the  ma- 
jority in  America  at  least,  favor  fishing  or  wading  up- 
stream. The  reasons  for  this  preference  are  many  and 
logical.  It  is  claimed  that  as  trout  customarily  lie 
heading  up-stream  the  angler  casting  from  below  is  less 
liable  to  be  seen;  that  the  flies  when  so  cast  as  to  float 
down  to  the  fish  from  above  act  more  naturally  than 
when  worked  more  or  less  against  the  current ;  and  that 
wading  up-stream  removes  the  possibility  of  alarming 
the  trout  or,  at  least,  causing  them  to  be  suspicious  by 
any  disturbance  of  the  stream  bed,  the  dislodgment  of 
small  sticks,  or  muddying  the  water,  the  current,  of 
course,  carrying  the  news  to  the  trout  when  the  angler 
is  working  down-stream. 

The  advantages  of  wading  down-stream  in  the  typi- 
cally swift  trout  stream  are,  however,  very  apparent 
to  most  experienced  fly-casters.  In  the  first  place  it  is 
far  more  natural  and  certainly  much  easier  to  wade  with 
the  current  than  against  it.  It  is  generally  possible  to 
cast  a  sufficiently  long  line  to  do  away  with  the  pos- 
sibility of  being  seen  by  the  fish,  and  it  is  a  question 
whether  the  flies  if  skilfully  fished  from  above  are  not 
quite  as  attractive  as  when  worked  from  below.  And 
as  to  the  matter  of  disturbing  the  stream  bed  the  man 
who  wades  slowly  and  carefully  can  reduce  the  dis- 
turbance to  a  negligible  quantity. 


.     CASTS   AT  RANDOM  169 

The  man  who  wades  enjoys  absolute  freedom  from 
restraint.  The  canoeman  is  bounded  by  the  gunwales 
of  his  craft.  However,  in  the  silence  with  which  the 
canoe  makes  its  progress  there  is  an  advantage.  If 
care  is  taken  in  the  matter  of  anchorage  no  possible 
warning  is  given  to  the  fish.  Also,  if  the  stream  is  a 
large  one,  good  places  may  be  easily  fished  from  the 
canoe  which  might  be  beyond  the  ability  of  the  most 
expert  fly-caster  to  reach  when  wading.  In  the  case 
of  over-fished  waters  the  use  of  a  canoe,  if  the  stream 
has  ordinarily  been  fished  by  wading,  might  spell  the 
difference  between  a  light  creel  and  a  heavy  one. 

When  fishing  a  stream  of  this  sort  it  may  be  taken 
for  granted  that  the  most  accessible  spots  have  been 
fished  to  death,  and  the  angler  who  is  wise  and  am- 
bitious will  devote  himself  to  the  more  difficult  places. 
The  chances  are  that  such  spots  have  been  very  little 
fished,  and  possibly,  in  the  case  of  some  of  them,  not  at 
all.  In  many  trout  streams  of  good  size  there  are 
reaches  of  deep,  swift-running  water  too  deep  to  wade 
and  where  the  banks  are  so  brushy  as  to  prevent  casting 
from  them.  Such  places  are  avoided  by  the  average 
angler,  the  man  who  wades,  and  the  use  of  a  canoe  in 
such  waters  should  yield  very  weighty  results. 

Landing   Net   and   Gaff 

The  number  of  game  fish  annually  lost  between  the 
water  and  the  creel  through  the  unskilful  use  or  the 
absence  of  a  landing  net  or  gaff  probably  approaches 
closely  to  the  amount  of  the  entire  catch.  The  final 
netting  or  gaffing  of  a  fish  sufficiently  played  and  ready 


I70      THE   FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

to  be  landed  is  more  than  a  mere  detail ;  it  requires  skill, 
presence  of  mind,  and,  above  all,  coolness.  Every 
angler  can  remember  times  when  the  bungling  use  of 
the  net  resulted  in  the  loss  of  the  "big  one."  Also,  the 
bungler,  if  the  fisherman  did  his  duty  on  these  occa- 
sions, should  have  no  difficulty  in  recalling  the  particular 
disaster  in  w^hich  he  figured. 

In  stream  fishing  for  brook  trout,  how^ever,  the  angler 
is  usually  his  own  netter,  and  if  through  his  haste  or 
lack  of  skill  in  handling  the  net,  the  especially  large 
one  gets  away,  he  has  no  one  to  blame  but  himself. 
Landing  a  trout  in  still-water  is  a  matter  of  no  great 
difficulty.  The  fish  can  be  gradually  played  In  to  the 
angler,  and  when  he  is  ready  to  be  taken  out  the  net 
should  be  immersed  and  the  fish  led  over  it.  Sudden 
motions  should  be  avoided  and  the  fish  neatly  meshed 
without  touching  him  with  the  rim  of  the  net. 

Sometimes  the  lightest  touch  of  the  net  will  revive 
a  played-out  fish  and  he  is  off  again  like  a  flash.  In 
view  of  this  it  is  advisable  before  using  the  net  to  have 
a  fair  amount  of  slack  line  off  the  reel  which  should  be 
held  between  the  fingers  of  the  rod  hand  so  that  it  can 
be  released  immediately.  Thus  prepared,  a  final  rally 
of  the  fish  IS  not  apt  to  result  in  his  escape.  Unless 
the  trout  was  originally  hooked  very  hard  after  a  more 
or  less  protracted  siege  of  playing,  the  hook  often  "hangs 
by  a  thread"  in  which  case  if  the  trout  is  snubbed  in  the 
least  the  hook  will  tear  away,  and  frequently  if  any 
slack  is  given  it  will  drop  out. 

Landing  a  trout  in  fast-running  water  is  another 
thing.     Here,  if  the  fish  Is  a  large  one,  the  angler  has 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  171 

his  work  cut  out  for  him.  The  best  plan  is  not  to 
attempt  to  play  the  fish  up  to  you  but  to  hold  him, 
as  far  as  can  safely  be  ventured,  where  he  is  hooked, 
and  work  down  to  him.  If  you  try  to  drag  him  up- 
stream it  brings  him  to  the  surface  where  he  will  roll 
over  and  over  and  thrash  about  until  nine  times  out  of 
ten  he  whips  himself  off  the  hook.  Once  down  to  the 
fish  so  that  you  do  not  have  to  handle  him  from  above, 
but  from  the  side  or  below,  lead  him  gradually  into  a 
gentle  side  current.  The  fish  should  be  up-stream  from 
you  when  you  are  ready  to  use  the  net.  The  current 
will  then  bring  him  over  the  net  instead  of  taking  him 
away  from  it. 

When  fishing  from  a  boat  or  canoe  the  net  should 
have  a  handle  at  least  four  or  five  feet  long.  Almost 
invariably  a  bass  that  has  been  played  in  to  the  boat 
will  take  one  more  run  when  he  sees  it,  and  unless  he 
IS  absolutely  played  to  a  finish  he  will  always  fight  away 
from  the  boat.  For  fish  that  run  large,  such  as  the 
lake  trout,  a  gaff  should  be  used.  Gaffing  a  fish  should 
be  gone  about  in  the  same  way  as  when  using  the  net. 
The  gaff  should  be  immersed  and  the  fish  led  over  it. 
A  skilful  gaffer  will  take  a  fish  in  out  of  the  wet  with 
one  motion. 

Although  some  anglers  advise  that  even  when  there 
are  two  men  in  the  boat,  it  is  better  for  the  man  who  is 
playing  the  fish  to  do  his  own  netting,  it  would  seem 
that  it  is  preferable  for  the  angler  whose  rod  is  not  busy 
to  handle  the  net.  It  is  much  easier  to  lead  the  fish 
within  landing  distance  of  the  man  who  occupies  the 


172       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

opposite  end  of  the  boat  than  to  lead  it  in  where  you 
can  net  it  yourself. 

The  Trolling  and  Casting  Spoon 

With  the  advent  of  the  short  bait-casting  rod  and 
the  free-running  reel  has  come  an  increase  of  interest 
in  artificial  lures.  Bass  fishermen  of  an  experimental 
turn  of  mind  are  kept  busy  trying  out  each  new  bait 
as  it  makes  its  appearance,  and  the  collections  of  these 
lures  which  some  enthusiasts  have  made  are  indeed 
fearful  and  wonderful  to  behold.  The  non-angling 
person  if  shown  one  of  these  museums,  without  explana- 
tory remarks,  would  be  inclined  to  believe  that  it  was 
the  life  work,  complete  to  date,  of  an  extremely  ingen- 
ious maniac.  With  all  this  interest  in  the  new  and 
sometimes  fantastic  lures,  not  that  some  of  them  do 
not  catch  bass,  the  old  and  very  reliable  "spoon  hook" 
has  suffered  a  temporary  eclipse.  And  yet,  taking  every- 
thing into  consideration,  the  spoon  is  without  doubt 
the  best  of  all-round  artificial  bait  ever  invented.  Upon 
it,  when  skilfully  and  seasonably  used,  every  important 
game  fish  of  fresh  waters  may  be  taken.  Its  attractive 
motion  when  in  action  is  hardly  equalled  by  any  of  the 
later  inventions,  and  as  a  casting  bait  it  may  always  be 
relied  upon. 

The  original  spoon  was  merely  a  spoon-shaped  blade 
with  a  hole  at  one  end  for  attaching  the  line  and  at  the 
other  end  a  single  hook  was  fixed.  It  caught  fish.  Since 
then  the  tackle  dealers  have  put  on  the  market  manifold 
variations  of  the  original,  some  of  them  sufficiently 
ingenious,  but  none  of  them  in  any  way  more  conGiGt- 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  173 

ently  successful  than  the  standard  trolling  and  casting 
spoon  as  it  is  now  furnished.  The  different  forms  of 
these  variations  are  entirely  too  many  to  be  considered. 
One  variation,  however,  it  might  be  well  to  mention. 
Spoons  are  furnished  in  several  different  materials,  the 
principal  ones  being  nickel,  brass,  copper,  silver,  and 
gold.  As  between  these  forms  when  in  use  the  brass, 
copper,  or  gold  spoons  are  less  flashy  in  effect.  Many 
anglers  affirm,  with  reason,  that  in  accordance  with  the 
well-known  rule  as  to  the  use  of  artificial  flies,  the  less 
noticeable  spoons  are  more  successful  in  very  clear, 
bright  weather. 

As  to  whether  the  tuft  of  feathers  with  which  the 
trebles  of  most  spoons  are  furnished  is  advantageous, 
there  is  a  decided  difference  of  opinion.  Their  original 
excuse  was  probably  merely  as  a  concealment  for  the 
hooks.  As  far  as  this  is  concerned  they  are  useless. 
Concealment  is  unnecessary.  The  question  is  rather  as 
to  whether  the  addition  of  the  feathers  renders  the  spoon 
more  attractive.  In  this  regard  expert  opinion  seems 
to  favor  the  feathers  for  bass,  while  as  regards  pickerel 
and  pike  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference.  As  the  feathers 
are  usually  tied  there  is  a  generous  sprinkling  of  red; 
and  as  the  black  bass  is  known  to  have  a  strong  predi- 
lection for  this  color  it  would  seem  that,  since  the  use 
of  the  feathers  is  hardly  a  definite  disadvantage,  the 
wise  angler  should  at  least  hesitate  before  following  the 
advice  of  those  who  advocate  the  use  of  the  bare  treble 
or  single  hook  in  connection  with  the  spoon. 

In  reading  the  authorities  it  is  the  duty  of  the  layman 
to  believe  implicitly  all  that  he  reads  and,  as  far  a3 


174       THE    FINE   ART   OF   FISHING 

possible,  to  go  and  do  likewise — otherwise  of  what  use 
are  authorities?  Sometimes,  however,  this  is  a  matter 
of  no  little  difficulty,  for  these  gentlemen  of  great  ex- 
perience along  similar  lines  quite  frequently  arrive  at 
exactly  contrary  conclusions. 

Here  is  an  example.  William  C.  Harris  held  the 
opinion  that  the  use  of  a  spoon  in  connection  with  a 
minnow  rendered  the  minnow  much  more  effective. 
Dr.  James  A.  Henshall  has  stated  that,  in  his  opinion, 
this  use  of  a  spoon  is  not  only  of  no  advantage  but  that 
''moreover,  it  savors  of  pot-fishing."  And  there  you 
are.  In  view  of  this,  it  would  seem  that  others  are 
entitled  to  a  very  firm  opinion  one  way  or  the  other. 
The  consensus  of  opinion  is  probably  that  a  small  spoon 
so  rigged  as  to  lead  the  minnow  is  an  advantage.  The 
flash  of  the  revolving  metal,  easily  seen  at  a  greater 
distance  than  the  natural  sheen  of  the  minnow,  attracts 
the  fish  from  a  wider  area  than  would  the  minnow 
alone,  with  the  result  that  they  eventually  strike  the 
bait. 

The  Way  of  a  Trout  With  a  Fly 

Of  all  forms  of  angling  fly-fishing  is  the  most  intrin- 
sically interesting  and  the  most  productive  of  varied  and 
sometimes  remarkable  experiences.  The  stream  fly- 
fisherman  of  many  seasons  is  perforce  learned  in  the 
ways  of  the  brook  trout.  In  fair  weather  and  foul,  at 
times  successfully  and  at  other  times  with  ill  success, 
he  has  cast  his  flies  over  many  waters  and  been  in  at  the 
death  of  many  good  fish.  But,  withal,  the  way  of  a 
trout  with  a  fly  is  still  to  him  much  of  a  mystery.  There 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  175 

arc,  in  general,  in  every  stream  three  characteristic 
localities  wherein  at  some  time  the  trout  will  rise  to  a 
fly;  these  are  the  riffles,  rapids,  and  pools.  In  each  of 
these  places  the  rises,  as  a  rule,  will  show  certain  fairly 
well  sustained  difEerences;  that  is,  to  take  the  con- 
ditional extremes,  the  trout  of  the  quiet  water  will  rise 
to  the  fly  quite  differently  from  his  brother  of  the  rapids. 

Dependent  upon  the  time,  early,  well  along,  or  late 
in  the  season,  trout  are  found  on  the  riffles  in  lesser  or 
greater  numbers  and  at  night  large  trout  resort  there 
when  feeding.  But  as  a  rule  the  trout  of  the  shallow 
riffles  are  not  large.  They  strike  very  quickly,  fre- 
quently miss,  and  fastening  them  is  a  matter  of  quick 
eye  and  good  judgment,  to  say  nothing  of  an  educated 
wrist.  In  the  pools  the  conditions  are  reversed.  Here 
the  fish  are  apt  to  be  weighty  and  their  method  of  rising 
and  taking  the  fly  is  in  dignified  keeping  with  their  size. 
The  angler  must  adapt  his  course  of  action  to  the 
occasion.  Also  the  question  of  what  fly  and  how  fished 
can  usually  be  decided  only  by  actual  trial. 

In  regard  to  the  construction  of  the  artificial  fly  some 
fly-fishing  theorists  hold  that  coloration  is  of  chief  im- 
portance and  others  maintain  that  color  should  be  sub- 
servient to  form.  The  practical  fly-fisherman  is  unwill- 
ing to  subscribe  entirely  to  either  theory.  Minute  dif- 
ferences and  gradations  in  coloration  or  form  do  not 
appeal  to  the  practical  man  as  being  of  sufficient  im- 
portance to  warrant  the  hair-splitting  and  ink-shedding 
in  which  their  advocates  indulge.  And  yet  it  must  be 
admitted  that  almost  every  angler  can  cite  from  his 
own   experience   an   occasion   when   some  such   slight 


176       THE    FINE   ART   OF    FISHING 

variation  of  shade  or  shape  proved  the  deciding  factor 
in  the  day's  success. 

Every  angler  likes  to  fish  a  new,  well-tied  fly.  There 
are  times,  however,  and  this  is  worth  remembering, 
when  the  oldest,  most  frayed  out  nondescript  in  the  fly- 
book  will  succeed  despite  the  fact  that  the  latest  spring 
fashions  in  artificial  bugs  have  failed  dismally.  Such  a 
ragged  veteran  as  this,  with  a  torn  wing  and  body 
partly  unravelled  and  trailing,  seems  at  times  to  have  an 
almost  hypnotic  influence  over  reluctant  fish.  The 
grizzly  king,  a  very  good  general  fly  bordering  on  the 
fancy,  is  usually  tied  with  a  red  tail.  As  an  instance 
of  the  occasional  importance  of  small  differentiations  in 
the  artificial  fly  it  may  be  said  that  in  some  localities 
this  fly  is  of  almost  no  use  unless  the  red  tail  is  removed. 

As  a  rule  the  fly-book  of  the  experienced  angler  con- 
tains flies  of  comparatively  few  patterns  in  regard  to 
color,  while  as  regards  variation  of  size  the  range  is 
wide.  Every  fly-caster  comes  in  time  to  depend  upon 
a  certain  few  flies  which  have  served  him  well,  and  a 
plentiful  supply  of  these  favorites  dressed  on  hooks  of 
various  sizes,  is  all  that  he  asks.  The  coachman  Is  the 
most  generally  useful  trout  fly  and  aside  from  it  there 
IS  no  other  fly  upon  which  two  anglers  are  wont  to 
agree.  While  it  Is  true  that  a  restricted  fly  list  Is  wholly 
competent  on  waters  which  the  angler  has  fished  many 
times  and  knows  like  a  book,  it  is  also  true  that  in 
strange  waters  the  angler  who  plays  his  aforetime  fav- 
orites to  the  exclusion  of  reputedly  successful  local 
patterns  is  inviting  disappointment. 


CASTS   AT   RANDOM  177 

Fishing  the  fly,  when  all  is  said,  is  of  far  more  im- 
portance than  either  the  formation  or  coloration  of  the 
fly.  The  operation  of  casting  may,  to  a  certain  extent 
or  natural  limit  of  proficiency,  be  learned  by  almost 
anyone.  Fishing  the  fly  is  quite  another  matter  and 
herein  the  angler  shows  his  quality.  To  fish  success- 
fully with  the  fly  the  angler  must  have  "fish  sense." 


THE  END 


O  UTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY^NE  W  YORK 

@  UT'IN  G 

U  A  WORnriK'  Q  ^*«  ttxtlooh  for  cat' 
riJ\lHUDyJ\Jl%Sj    door   work  and  play 

€L  Each  book  deals  with  a  separate  subject  and  deals  with  it  thor- 
oughly. If  you  want  to  know  anything  about  Airedales  an  OUTING 
HANDBOOK  gives  you  all  you  want.  If  it's  Apple  Growing,  another 
OUTING  HANDBOOK  meets  your  need.  The  Fisherman,  the 
Camper,  the  Poultry-raiser,  the  Automobilist,  the  Horseman,  all 
varieties  of  out-door  enthusiasts,  will  find  separate  volumes  for  their 
separate  interests.    There  is  no  waste  space. 

€L  The  series  is  based  on  the  plan  of  one  subject  to  a  book  and  each 
book  complete.  The  authors  are  experts.  Each  book  has  been 
specially  prepared  for  this  series  and  all  are  published  in  uniform 
style,  flexible  cloth  binding. 

€L  Two  hundred  titles  are  projected.  The  series  covers  all  phases 
of  outdoor  life,  from  bee-keeping  to  big-game  shooting.  Among  the 
books  now  ready  or  in  preparation  are  those  described  on  the  fol* 
lowing  pages. 

PRICE  SEVENTY  CENTS  PER  VOL.  NET,  POSTAGE  5c  EXTRA 
THE  NUMBERS  MAKE  ORDERING  EASY. 

1.    EXERCISE   AND   HEALTH,  by   Dr.    Woods 

Hutchinson.  Dr.  Hutchinson  takes  the  common-sense  view  that 
the  greatest  problem  in  exercise  for  most  of  us  is  to  get  enough  of 
the  right  kind.  The  greatest  error  in  exercise  is  not  to  take  enough^ 
and  the  greatest  danger  in  athletics  is  in  giving  them  up.  He  writes 
in  a  direct  matter-of-fact  manner  with  an  avoidance  of  medical  terms, 
and  a  strong  emphasis  on  the  rational,  all-round  manner  of  living 
that  is  best  calculated  to  bring  a  man  to  a  ripe  old  age  with  little 
illness  or  consciousness  of  bodily  weakness. 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY-NEW  YORK 
2.    CAMP  COOKERY,  by  Horace   Kephart.    "The 

less  a  man  carries  in  his  pack  the  more  he  must  carry  in  his  head," 
says  Mr.  Kephart.  This  hook  tells  what  a  man  should  carry  in  hoth 
pack  and  head.  Every  step  is  traced — the  selection  of  provisions 
and  utensils,  with  the  kind  and  quantity  of  each,  the  preparation  of 
game,  the  huilding  of  fires,  the  cooking  of  every  conceivable  kind  of 
food  that  the  camp  outfit  or  woods,  fields  or  streams  may  provide — 
even  to  the  making  of  desserts.  Every  recix>e  is  the  result  of  hard 
practice  and  long  experience. 


3.  BACKWOODS  SXJRGERY  AND  MEDICINE, 

by  Charles  S.  Moody,  M.  D.  A  handy  book  for  the  pru- 
dent lover  of  the  woods  who  doesn't  expect  to  be  ill  but  believes  in 
being  on  the  safe  side.  Common-sense  methods  for  the  treatment 
of  the  ordinary  wounds  and  accidents  are  described — setting  a 
broken  limb,  reducing  a  dislocation,  caring  for  bums,  cuts,  etc. 
Practical  remedies  for  camp  diseases  are  recommended,  as  well  as 
the  ordinary  indications  of  the  most  probable  ailments.  Includes  a 
list  of  the  necessary  medical  and  surgical  supplies. 

4.  APPLE  GROWING,  by   M.    C.   Burritt.    The 

various  problems  confronting  the  apple  grower,  firom  the  preparation 
of  the  soil  and  the  planting  of  the  trees  to  the  marketing  of  the  fruit, 
are  discussed  in  detail  by  the  author.  Chapter  headings  are: — The 
Outlook  for  the  Growing  of  Apples — Planning  for  the  Orchard — 
Planting  and  Growing  the  Orchard— Pruning  the  Trees — Cultivation 
and  Cover  Cropping — Manuring  and  Fertilizing — Insects  and  Dis- 
eases Affecting  the  Apple — The  Principles  and  Practice  of  Spraying 
— Harvesting  and  Storing — Markets  and  Marketing — Some  Bjnts  on 
Renovating  Old  Orchards — The  Cost  of  Growing  Apples. 

5.  THE  AIREDALE,  by  Williams  Haynes.     The 

book  opens  with  a  short  chapter  on  the  origin  and  development  of 
the  Airedale,  as  a  distinctive  breed.  The  author  then  takes  up  the 
problems  of  type  as  bearing  on  the  selection  of  the  dog,  breeding, 
training  and  use.  The  book  is  designed  for  the  non-professional  dog 
fancier,  who  wishes  common  sense  advice  which  does  not  involve 
elaborate  preparations  or  cxpenditmre.  Chapters  are  included  on  the 
care  of  tnc  dog  in  the  kennel  and  simple  remedies  for  ordinar)r 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY— NEW  YQjRit 

6.  THE  AUTOMOBILE— Its  Selection,  Care  and 
Dse,  by  Robert  Sloss.  This  is  a  plain,  practical  discussioa  of 
the  things  that  every  man  needs  to  know  if  he  is  to  buy  the  right  car 
and  get  the  most  out  of  it.  The  various  details  of  operation  and 
care  are  given  in  simple,  intelligent  terms.  From  it  the  car  owner 
can  easily  learn  the  mechanism  of  his  motor  and  the  art  of  locating 
motor  trouble,  as  well  as  how  to  use  his  car  for  the  greatest  pleasure. 
A  chapter  is  included  on  building  garages. 

7.  FISHING     KITS     AND     EQUIPMENT,    by 

Samuel  G.  Camp,  a  complete  guide  to  the  angler  buying  a  new 
outfit.  Every  detail  of  the  fishing  kit  of  the  freshwater  angler  is  de- 
scribed, from  rodtip  to  creel,  and  clothing.  Special  emphasis  is  laid 
on  outfitting  for  fly  fishing,  but  full  instruction  is  also  given  to  the 
man  who  wants  to  catch  pickerel,  pike,  muskellunge,  lake-trout,  bass 
and  other  freshwater  game  fishes.  Prices  are  quoted  for  all  articles 
recommended  and  the  approved  method  of  selecting  and  testing  the 
various  rods*  lines,  leaders,  etc.,  is  described. 


8.  THE  FINE  ART  OF  FISHING,  by  Samuel  G. 

Camp.  Combine  the  pleasure  of  catching  fish  with  the  gratification 
of  foUowing  the  sport  in  the  most  approved  manner.  The  sugges- 
tions ofiFered  are  helpftil  to  beginner  and  expert  anglers.  The  range 
of  fish  and  fishing  conditions  covered  is  wide  and  includes  such  sub- 
jects as  ^'Casting  Fine  and  Far  Off,"  ^^Strip-Casting  for  Bass,"  ^Fish- 
ing for  Mountain  Trout"  and  "Autumn  Fishing  for  Lake  Trout." 
The  book  is  pervaded  with  a  spirit  of  love  for  the  streamside  and 
the  out-doors  generally  which  the  genuine  angler  will  appreciate. 
A  companion  book  to  "Fishing  Kits  and  Equipment."  The  advice 
on  outfitting  so  capably  given  in  that  book  is  supplemented  in  this 
later  work  by  equally  valuable  information  on  how  to  use  the 
equipment. 

9.  THE  HORSE— Its  Breeding,  Care  and  Use,  by 
David  Buflfum.  Mr.  Buffum  takes  up  the  common,  cvery-day 
problems  of  the  ordinary  horse-users,  such  as  feeding,  shoeing, 
simple  home  remedies,  breaking  and  the  cure  for  various  equine 
▼ices.  An  important  chapter  is  that  tracing  the  influx  of  Arabian 
blood  into  the  English  and  American  horses  and  its  value  and  limi- 
tations. Chapters  are  included  on  draft-horses,  carriage  horses,  and 
the  development  of  the  two-minute  trotter.  It  is  distinctly  a  sensible 
book  for  the  sensible  man  who  wishes  to  know  how  he  can  improve 
his  horses  and  his  horsemanship  at  the  same  time. 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY— NL  IV  YORK 

10.  THE  MOTOR  BOAT— Its  Selection,  Care  and 
Use,  by  H.  W.  Slauson.  The  intending  purchaser  ia  advised 
as  to  the  type  of  motor  boat  best  suited  to  his  particular  needs  and 
how  to  keep  it  in  running  condition  after  purchased.  The  chapter 
headings  are:  Kinds  and  Uses  of  Motor  Boats — "WLen  the  Motor 
Balks — Speeding  of  the  Motor  Boat — Getting  More  Power  from  a 
New  Motor — How  to  Install  a  Marine  Power  Plant — Accessories — 
Covers,  Canopies  and  Tops — Camping  and  Cruising — The  Boathouse. 

11.  OUTDOOR  SIGNALLING,  by  Elbert  Wells. 

Mr.  Wells  has  perfected  a  method  of  signalling  by  means  of  wig- 
wag, light,  smoke,  or  whistle  which  is  as  simple  as  it  is  efifectiye. 
The  fundamental  principle  can  be  learned  in  ten  minutes  and  its 
application  is  far  easier  than  that  of  any  other  code  now  in  use. 
It  permits  also  the  use  of  cipher  and  can  be  adapted  to  almost  any 
imaginable  conditions  of  weather,  light,  or  topography. 

12.  TRACKS  AND  TRACKING,  by  Josef  Brunner. 

After  twenty  years  of  patient  study  and  practical  experience,  Mr. 
Brunner  can,  from  his  intimate  knowledge,  speak  with  authority  on 
this  subject.  "Tracks  and  Tracking"  shows  how  to  follow  intelli- 
gently even  the  most  intricate  animal  or  bird  tracks.  It  teaches  how 
to  interpret  tracks  of  wild  game  and  decipher  the  many  teU-tale 
signs  of  the  chase  that  would  otherwise  pass  unnoticed.  It  proves 
how  it  is  possible  to  tell  from  the  footprints  the  name,  sex,  speed, 
direction,  whether  and  how  wounded,  and  many  other  things  about 
wild  animals  and  birds.  All  material  has  been  gathered  first  hand ; 
the  drawings  and  half-tones  from  photographs  form  an  important 
part  of  the  work* 


13.    WING  AND  TRAP-SHOOTING,  by  Charles 

Askins.  Contains  a  full  discussion  of  the  various  methods, 
such  as  snap-shooting,  swing  and  half-swing,  discusses  the  flight  of 
birds  with  reference  to  the  gunner's  problem  of  lead  and  range  and 
makes  special  application  of  the  various  points  to  the  diflferent  birds 
commonly  shot  in  this  country.  A  chapter  is  included  on  trap 
shooting  and  the  book  closes  with  a  forceftd  and  common-sense 
presentation  of  the  etiquette  of  the  field.^ 


OUTING  PUBUSHTNG  COMPANY^NEW  YORK 

14.  PROFITABLE  BREEDS  OF  POULTRY,  by 

Arthur  S.  Wheeler.  Mr.  Wheeler  discuases  from  pergonal  ex- 
perience the  ]best-known  general  purpose  breeds.  Advice  is  given 
nrom  the  standpoint  of  the  man  who  desires  results  in  eggs  and  stock 
rather  than  in  specimens  for  exhibition.  In  addition  to  a  careful 
analysis  of  stock — good  and  bad — and  some  conclusions  regarding 
housing  and  management,  the  author  writes  in  detail  regarding 
Plymouth  Rocks,  Wyandottes,  Orpingtons,  Rhode  Island  Reds* 
Mediterraneans  and  the  Cornish. 

15.  RIFLES  AND  RIFLE  SHOOTING,  by  Charles 

Askins.  A  practical  manual  describing  various  makes  and  mechan- 
isms, in  addition  to  discussing  in  detail  the  range  and  limitations  in 
the  use  of  the  rifle.  Treats  on  the  every  style  and  make  of  rifle 
as  well  as  their  use.  Every  type  of  rifle  is  discussed  so  that  the 
book  is  complete  in  every  detaU. 

16.  SPORTING  FIREARMS,  by  Horace  Kephart. 

This  book  is  the  result  of  painstaking  tests  and  experiments.  Prac- 
tically nothing  is  taken  for  granted.  Part  I  deals  with  the  rifle,  and 
Part  n  with  the  shotgun.  The  man  seeking  guidance  in  the  selec- 
tion and  use  of  small  firearms,  as  well  as  the  advanced  student  of 
the  subject,  will  receive  an  unusual  amount  of  assistance  from  this 
work.  The  chapter  headings  are:  Rifles  and  Ammunition — The 
Flight  of  Bullets — Killing  Power — Rifle  Mechanism  and  Materials — 
Rifle  Sights — Triggers  and  Stocks — Care  of  Rifle — Shot  Patterns  and 
Penetration — Gauges  and  "Weights — Mechanism  and  Build  of 
Shotguns. 

17.  THEYACHTSMAN'S  HANDBOOK,  by  Herbert 

L.  Stone.  The  author  and  compiler  of  this  work  is  the  editor  of 
**  Yachting."  He  treats  in  simple  language  of  the  many  problems 
confronting  the  amateur  sailor  and  motor  boatman.  Handling 
ground  tackle,  handling  lines,  taking  soundings,  the  use  of  the  lead 
fine,  care  and  use  of  sails,  yachting  etiquette,  are  all  given  careful 
attention.  Some  light  is  thrown  upon  the  operation  of  the  gasoline 
motor,  and  suggestions  are  made  for  the  avoidance  of  engine 
troubles. 

18.  SCOTTISH  AND  IRISH  TERRIERS,  by  Wa. 

liams  Haynes.  This  is  a  companion  book  to  **The  Airedale," 
and  deals  with  the  history  and  development  of  both  breeds.  For 
the  owner  of  the  dog,  valuable  information  is  given  as  to  the  use  of 
the  terriers,  their  treatment  in  health,  their  treatment  when  sick, 
the  principles  of  dog  breeding,  and  dog  shows  and  rules. 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY— NEW  YORK: 

19.  NAVIGATIONFORTHEAMATEUR,byCapt. 

E.  T,  Mortoiu  A  short  treatise  on  the  simpler  methods  of  End- 
ing position  at  sea  by  the  observation  of  the  sun's  altitude  and  the 
use  of  the  sextant  and  chronometer.  It  is  arranged  especially  for 
yachtsmen  and  amateurs  who  wish  to  know  the  simpler  formulae 
for  the  necessary  navigation  involved  in  taking  a  boat  anywhere  oflF 
shore.  Illustrated  with  drawings.  Chapter  headings :  Fundamental 
Terms — Time — The  Sunmer  Line— The  Day's  Work,  Equal  Altitude* 
and  Ex-Meridian  Sights — Hints  on  Taking  Observations. 

20.  OUTDOOR  PHOTOGRAPHY,  by  Julian  A. 

Dimock.  A  solution  of  all  the  problems  in  camera  work  out-of- 
doors.  The  various  subjects  dealt  with  are:  The  Camera — Lens  and 
Plates — Light  and  Exposure — Development — Prints  and  Printing — 
Composition — Landscapes — Figure  Work — Speed  Photography — ^1  he 
Leaping  Tarpon — Sea  Pictures — In  the  Good  Old  Winter  Time — 
Wild  Life. 

21.  PACKING    AND    PORTAGING,    by    Daion 

Wallace.  Mr.  Wallace  has  brought  together  in  one  volume  all 
the  valuable  information  on  the  different  ways  of  making  and  carry* 
ing  the  difiercnt  kinds  of  packs.  The  ground  covered  ranges  from 
man-packing  to  horse-packing,  from  the  use  of  the  tump  line  to 
throwing  the  diamond  hitch. 

22.  THE  BULL  TERRIER,  by  Wmiams  Haynes. 
This  is  a  companion  book  to  "The  Airedale"  and  "Scottish  and  Irifeh 
Terriers'*  by  the  same  author.  Its  greatest  usefulness  it  as  a  guide 
to  the  dog  owner  who  wishes  to  be  his  own  kennel  manager.  .A  full 
account  of  the  development  of  the  breed  is  given  with  a  description 
of  best  types  and  standards.  Recommendations  for  the  care  of 
the  dog  in  health  or  sickness  are  included.  The  chapter  heads 
cover  such  matters  as: — The  Bull  Terrier's  History — Trainirg  the 
Bull  Terrier — ^The  Terrier  in  Healths-Kenneling — Diseases. 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY— NEW  YORK 

23.  THE  FOX  TERRIER,  by  Williams  Haynes. 
As  in  his  other  books  on  the  terrier,  Mr.  Haynes  takes  up  the  origin 
and  history  of  the  breed,  its  types  and  standards,  and  the  more  ex« 
elusive  representatives  down  to  the  present  time.  Training  the  Fox 
Terrier — His  Care  and  Kenneling  in  Sickness  and  Health — and  the 
Various  Uses  to  Which  He  Can  Be  Put — are  among  the  phases 
handled. 

24.  SUBURBAN  GARDENS,  by  Grace  Tabor. 
Illustrated  vdth  diagrams.  The  author  regards  the  house  and 
grounds  as  a  complete  unit  and  shows  how  the  best  results  may  be 
obtained  by  carrying  the  reader  in  detail  through  the  various  phases 
of  designing  the  garden,  with  the  levels  and  contours  necessary, 
laying  out  the  walks  and  paths,  planning  and  placing  the  arbors, 
summer  houses,  seats,  etc.,  and  selecting  and  placing  trees,  shrubs, 
vines  and  flowers.  Ideal  plans  for  plots  of  various  sizes  are  appended, 
as  well  as  suggestions  for  correcting  mistakes  that  have  been  made 
through  *'starting  wrong.** 


25.  FISHING    WITH    FLOATING    FLIES,   by 

aamuei  G.  Camp.  This  is  an  art  that  is  comparatively  new  in 
this  country  although  English  anglers  have  used  the  dry  fly  for 
generations.  Mr.  Camp  has  given  the  matter  special  study  and  is 
one  of  the  few  American  anglers  who  really  understands  the  matter 
from  the  selection  of  the  outfit  to  the  landing  of  the  fish.  His  book 
takes  up  the  process  in  that  order,  namely — How  to  Outfit  for  Dry 
Fly  Fishing — How,  Where,  and  When  to  Cast — The  Selection  and 
Use  of  Floating  Flies — Dry  Fly  Fishing  for  Brook,  Brown  and 
Rainbow  Trout — Hooking,  Playing  and  Landing — Practical  Hints  on 
Dry  Fly  Fishing. 

26.  THE  GASOLINE  MOTOR,  by  Harold  Whiting 

olauson*  Deals  with  the  practical  problems  of  motor  operation. 
The  standpoint  is  that  of  the  man  who  wishes  to  know  how  and 
why  gasoline  generates  power  and  something  about  the  various 
types.  Describes  in  detail  the  different  parts  of  motors  and  the 
raults  to  which  they  are  liable.  Also  gives  full  directions  as  to  re- 
pair and  upkeep.  Various  chapters  deal  with  Types  of  Motors — 
Valves  —  Bearings — Ignition — Carburetors — Lubrication —  Fuel  •— 
Two  Cycle  Motors. 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY--NEW  YORK 

27.  ICE  BOATING,  by  H.  L.  Stone.    lUustrated  mth 

diagrams.  Here  have  been  brought  together  all  the  available  in- 
formation on  the  organization  and  history  of  ice-boating,  the  build- 
ing of  the  various  types  of  ice  yachts,  from  the  small  15  footer  to 
the  600-foot  racer,  together  with  detailed  plans  and  specifications. 
Full  information  is  also  given  to  meet  the  needs  of  those  who  wish 
to  be  able  to  build  and  sail  their  own  boats  but  are  handicapped  by 
the  lack  of  proper  knowledge  as  to  just  the  points  described  in  this 
volume. 

28.  MODERN  GOLF,  by  Harold  H.  Haton.    Mr. 

Hilton  is  the  only  man  who  has  ever  held  the  amateur  champion- 
ship of  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  in  the  same  year.  In 
addition  to  this,  he  has,  for  years,  been  recognized  as  one  of  the 
most  intelligent,  steady  players  of  the  game  in  l^gland.  This  book 
is  a  product  of  his  advanced  thought  and  experience  and  gives  the 
reader  sound  advice,  not  so  much  on  the  mere  swinging  of  the  clubs 
as  in  the  actual  playing  of  the  game,  with  all  the  factors  that  enter 
£nto  it.  He  discusses  the  use  of  wooden  clubs,  the  choice  of  clubs, 
the  art  of  approaching,  tournament  play  as  a  distinct  thing  in  itself 
and  kindred  subjects. 

29.  INTENSIVE   FARMING,  by  L.  C.   Corbett. 

A  discussion  of  the  meaning,  method  and  value  of  intensive  methods 
in  agriculture.  This  book  is  designed  for  the  convenience  of  prac- 
tical farmers  who  find  themselves  under  the  necessity  of  making  a 
living  out  of  high-priced  land. 

30.  PRACTICAL  DOG  BREEDING,  by  WiUiams 
Haynes.  This  is  a  companion  volume  to  PRACTICAL  DOG 
KEEPING,  described  below.  It  goes  at  length  into  the  funda- 
mental questions  of  breeding,  such  as  selection  of  types  on  both 
sides,  the  perpetuation  of  desirable,  and  the  elimination  of  undesir- 
able, qualities,  the  value  of  prepotency  in  building  up  a  desired 
breed,  etc.  The  arguments  are  illustrated  with  instances  of  what 
has  been  accomplished,  both  good  and  bad,  in  the  case  of  well- 
known  breeds. 

31.  PRACTICAL   DOG  KEEPING,  by  WiUiams 

Haynes.  Mr.  Haynes  is  well  known  to  the  readers  of  the  OUTING 
HANDBOOKS  as  the  author  of  books  on  the  terriers.  His  new 
book  is  somewhat  more  ambitious  in  that  it  carries  him  into  the 
general  field  of  selection  of  breeds,  the  buying  and  selling  of  dogs, 
the  care  of  dogs  in  kennels,  handling  in  bench  shows  and  field  triads, 
and  at  considerable  length  into  such  subjects  as  food  and  feeding, 
es^ercise  and  grooming,  disease,  etc 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY—NEW  YORK 


32.  PRACTICAL  TREE    PLANTING,  by  C.  R. 

Pettis.  The  author,  who  is  the  New  York  State  Forester,  takes  up 
the  general  subject  of  reforesting,  covering  nature's  method  and  the 
practical  methods  of  broadcast  seed-sowing,  seed  spot  planting, 
nursery  practice,  etc.  The  various  species  are  described  and  their 
adaptability  to  varying  conditions  indicated.  Results  of  reforesting 
are  shown  and  instructions  are  given  for  the  planting  of  wind- 
breaks and  shade  trees. 

33.  AMATEUR  RODMAKING,  by  Perry  D.  Frazer. 

Illustrated.  A  practical  manual  for  all  those  who  want  to  make 
their  own  rod  and  fittings.  It  contains  a  review  of  fishing  rod  his- 
tory, a  discussion  of  materials,  a  list  of  the  tools  needed,  description 
of  the  method  to  be  followed  in  making  all  kinds  of  rods,  including 
fly-casting,  bait-fishing,  fialmon,  etc.,  wili  fiill  instructions  for  wind- 
ing, varnishing,  etc. 

34.  PISTOLANDREVOLVERSHOOTING,byA.L. 

A.  Himmelwriglit.  A  new  and  revised  edition  of  a  work  that  has 
already  achieved  prondnence  as  an  accepted  authority  on  the  use  of 
the  hand  gun.  Full  instructions  are  given  in  the  use  of  both  revolver 
and  target  pistol,  including  shooting  position,  grip,  position  of  arm,  etc. 
The  book  is  thoroughly  Ulustrated  with  diagrams  and  photographs 
and  includes  the  Tules  of  the  United  States  Revolver  Association 
and  a  list  of  the  records  made  both  here  and  abroad. 

35.  PIGEON  RAISING,  by  Alice  MacLeod.    This 

is  a  book  for  both  fancier  and  market  breeder.  Full  descriptions 
are  given  of  the  construction  of  houses,  the  care  of  the  birds,  pre- 
paration for  market,  and  shipment.  Descriptions  of  the  various 
breeds  with  their  markings  and  characteristics  are  given.  Illustrated 
with  photographs  and  diagrams. 

36.  FISHING  TACKLE,  by  Perry  D.  Frazer.    fl- 

lustrated.  The  subtitle  is  descriptive.  "Hints  for  Beginners  in 
the  Selection,  Care,  and  Use  of  Rods,  Reels,  Lines,  etc."  It  tells  all 
the  fisherman  needs  to  know  about  making  and  overhauling  his 
tackle  during  the  closed  season  and  gives  full  instructions  for  tour- 
Bament  casting  and  fly-casting.  Chapters  are  included  on  cases  and 
holders  for  the  care  of  tackle  when  not  in  use. 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY^NEIV  YORK 
37!      AUTOMOBILE     OPERATION,     by    A.    L. 

Brennan,  Jr.  Illustrated.  Tells  the  plain  truth  ahout  the  little 
things  that  every  motorist  wants  to  know  about  hia  own  car.  Do 
you  want  to  cure  ignition  troubles?  Overhaul  and  adjust  your 
carbureter?  Keep  your  transmission  in  order?  Get  the  maximum 
wear  out  of  your  tires?  Do  any  other  of  the  hundred  and  one 
things  that  are  necessary  for  the  greatest  use  and  enjoyment  of  your 
car?    Then  you  will  find  this  book  usefiiL 

38.  THE  FOX  HOUND,  by  Roger  D.  WaUams. 
Author  of  "Horse  and  Hound".  Elustrated.  The  author  is 
the  foremost  authority  on  fox  hunting  and  foxhounds  in  America. 
For  years  he  has  kept  the  foxhound  studbook,  and  is  the  final  source 
of  information  on  all  disputed  points  relating  to  this  breed.  His 
book  discusses  types,  methods  of  training,  kenneling,  diseases  and 
all  the  other  practical  points  relating  to  the  use  and  care  of  the 
hound.  An  appendix  is  added  containing  the  rules  and  regulations 
of  hound  field  trials. 

39.  SALT  WATER  GAME  FISHING,  by  Charles 

F.  Holder.  Mr.  Holder  covers  the  whole  field  of  his  subject 
devoting  a  chapter  each  to  such  fish  as  the  tuna,  the  tarpon,  amber* 
jack,  the  sail  fish,  the  yellow-tail,  the  king  fish,  the  barracuda,  the 
sea  bass  and  the  small  game  fishes  of  Florida,  Porto  Rico,  the  Pacific 
Coast,  Hawaii,  and  the  Philippines.  The  habits  and  habitats  of  the 
fish  are  described,  together  with  the  methods  and  tackle  for  taking 
them.  The  book  concludes  with  an  account  of  the  development 
and  rules  of  the  American  Sea  Angling  Clubs,    Illustrated. 

40.  WINTER  CAMPING,  by  Warwick  S.Carpenter. 

A  book  that  meets  the  increasing  interest  in  outdoor  life  in  the  cold 
weather.  Mr.  Carpenter  discusses  such  subjects  as  shelter  equipment, 
clothing,  food,  snowshoeing,  skiing,  and  winter  hunting,  wild  life  in 
winter  woods,  care  of  firost  bite,  etc.  It  is  based  on  much  actual  ex- 
perience in  winter  camping  and  is  fully  illustrated  with  working 
photographs. 

41.  LEARNING  TO  SWIM,  by  L.  DeB.  Handley. 

Illustrated.  Mr.  Handley  takes  up  the  problem  firom  the  standpoint 
of  the  person  of  any  sex  or  age  who  cannot  swim  a  stroke.  Step  by 
step  he  unfolds  the  various  stages,  floating,  the  side  stroke,  the 
crawl,  the  trudgeon,  the  breast  stroke,  swimming  on  the  back,  etc., 
concluding  with  a  chapter  on  speed  swimming  and  training  for  rac- 
ing. It  covers  the  whole  field  of  natation  in  a  clear,  simple  manner, 
with  photographs  showing  each  stroke  in  detail. 

42.  BOAT  AND  CANOE  BUILDING,  by  Victor 

Slocum.  All  of  us  like  to  think  we  could  build  a  boat  if  we  had 
to.  Mr.  Slocum  tells  us  how  to  do  it.  Designs  are  given  for  the 
various  types  of  canoes  as  well  as  fiill  descriptions  for  preparing  the 
material  and  putting  it  together.  Small  dories  and  lapstreak  boaU 
are  also  include'* 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY-^NEW  YORK 

43.  PRACTICAL  PROSPECTING,  by  Charles 
Johnson  Post.  Illustrated.  Did  you  ever  wonder  what  ore- 
bearing  rock  looked  like  ?  Did  you  ever  want  to  know  how  to  test 
it  for  the  various  minerals?  Would  you  be  interested  in  learning 
how  to  put  together  a  rough  and  ready  outfit  that  would  do  all  the 
work  of  the  more  expensive  kits  ?  This  book  covers  aU  these  points 
and  more.  It  is  a  valuable  companion  for  a  walking  trip  through 
the  hills.  It  tells  you  not  only  where  minerals  are  found  and  how, 
but  also  where  you  need  not  expect  to  find  them* 

44.  BOXING,  by  D.  C.  Hutchison,     Practical  in- 

struction  for  men  who  wish  to  learn  the  first  steps  in  the  manly 
art.  Mr.  Hutchison  writes  from  long  personal  experience  as  an 
amateur  boxer  and  as  a  trainer  of  other  amateurs.  His  instructions 
are  accompanied  with  full  diagrams  showing  the  approved  blows 
and  guards.  He  also  gives  fiill  directions  for  training  for  condition 
without  danger  of  going  stale  from  overtraining.  It  is  essentially  a 
book  for  the  amateur  who  boxes  for  sport  and  exercise. 

45.  TENNIS  TACTICS,  by  Raymond  D.   Little. 

Out  of  his  store  of  experience  as  a  successful  tennis  player,  Mr. 
Little  has  written  this  practical  guide  for  those  who  wish  to  know 
how  real  tennis  is  played.  He  tells  the  reader  when  and  how  to 
take  the  net,  discusses  the  relative  merits  of  the  back-court  and 
volleying  game  and  how  their  proper  balance  may  be  achieved; 
analyzes  and  appraises  the  twist  service,  shows  the  fundamental 
necessities  of  successful  doubles  play. 

46.  THE  AUXILIARY  YACHT,  by  H.  L.  Stone. 

Combines  information  on  the  installation  of  power  in  a  boat  that 
was  not  designed  especially  for  it  with  the  features  desirable  in  de- 
signing a  boat  for  this  double  use.  Deals  with  the  peculiar  proper- 
ties of  the  auxiliary,  its  advantages  and  disadvantages,  the  handling 
of  the  boat  under  sail  and  power,  etc.  Does  not  go  into  detail  on 
engine  construction  but  gives  the  approximate  power  needed  for 
different  boats  and  the  calculations  necessary  to  find  this  figure. 

47.  TAXIDERMY,  by  Leon  L.  Pray.    Illustrated  with 

diagrams.  Being  a  practical  taxidermist,  the  author  at  once  goes  into 
the  question  of  selection  of  tools  and  materials  for  the  various  stages 
of  skinning,  stuffing  and  mounting.  The  subjects  whose  handling 
is  described  are,  for  the  most  part,  the  every-day  ones,  such  as 
ordinary  birds,  small  mammals,  etc.,  although  adequate  instructions 
are  included  for  moimting  big  game  specimens,  as  well  as  the  pre- 
liminary care  of  skins  in  hot  climates.  Full  diagrams  accompany 
the  text* 


OUTING  PUBLISHING  COMPANY-^-NEW  YORK 

48.  THE  CANOE— ITS  SELECTION,  CARE  AND 

USE,  by  Robert  E.  Pinkerton.  Elustrated  with  photographs. 
With  proper  use  the  canoe  is  one  of  the  safests  crafts  that  floats. 
Mr.  Pinkerton  tells  how  that  state  of  safety  may  be  obtained.  He 
gives  full  instructions  for  the  selection  of  the  right  canoe  for  each 

Particular  piu-pose  or  set  of  conditions.  Then  he  tells  how  it  should 
e  used  in  order  to  secure  the  maximum  of  safety,  comfort  and  use- 
fulness. His  own  lesson  was  learned  among  the  Indians  of  Canada, 
where  paddling  is  a  high  art,  and  the  use  of  the  canoe  almost  as 
much  a  matter  of  course  as  the  wearing  of  moccasins. 

49.  HORSE    PACKING,     by    Charles    J.    Post. 

Illustrated  with  diagrams.  This  is  a  complete  description  of  the 
hitches,  knots,  and  apparatus  used  in  making  and  carrying  loads  of 
various  kinds  on  horseback.  Its  basis  is  the  methods  followed  in  the 
West  and  in  the  American  Army.  The  diagrams  are  full  and  detailed, 
giving  the  various  hitches  and  knots  at  each  of  the  important  stages 
so  that  even  the  novice  can  follow  and  use  them.  It  is  the  only 
book  ever  published  on  this  subject  of  which  this  could  be  said. 
Full  description  is  given  of  the  ideal  pack  animal,  as  well  as  a  cata- 
logue of  the  diseases  and  injuries  to  which  such  animals  are  subject. 

50.  RAINY  DAY  IN  CAMP,  by  C.  H.  Claudy. 

Illustrated.  What  do  you  do  when  you  are  stormbound  in  the  camp 
and  time  hangs  heavy  on  your  hands  ?  This  book  gives  a  long  list 
of  games  that  you  can  play  and  the  rules  that  govern  them.  It  also 
describes  various  improvised  indoor  occupations  appropriate  to 
camp  life.  If  you  have  it  in  your  duffle  bag  you  need  not  fear  the 
approach  of  tlureatening  clouds. 

51.  WALKING    OUTFITS,    by   C.    P.    Fordyce. 

niustrated.  Every  year  the  adherents  of  "hiking"  in  this  country 
grow  in  numbers  and  enthusiasm.  It  is  an  old  art  and  a  valuable 
one.  But  something  more  than  a  pair  of  legs  is  necessary  to  make 
the  walking  trip  a  success.  You  must  wear  the  right  shoes  and  the 
right  clothes.  You  must  carry  with  you  the  right  kind  of  sleeping 
and  cooking  outfit.  Mr.  Fordyce  gives  the  concentrated  experienco 
of  many  years  on  highway  and  trail. 

52.  LEARNING  TO  SKATE,     by  J.   F.  Verne. 

Illustrated.  Half  the  fun  of  skating  is  in  knowing  how  to  do  if 
with  the  least  eflfort.  Nothing  is  so  easy  when  you  know  how — or 
so  hard  when  you  don't.  This  book  describes  the  process  in  detail 
from  the  first  day  on  the  ice  to  the  highest  development  of 
speed  and  fancy  skating.  The  author  is  familiar  with  the^  latest 
developments  in  Europe  where  figure  skating  has  been  carried  to 
a  much  higher  point  than  in  America. 


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